Hello, my friend, hello....

....ahem....

....stretching fingers....

....cracking fingers....(not on purpose, they just do that wonderful cracking sound now)

Hi.

How are you?

Well, I hope.

I have been gone so long from this blog, I don't really know what to do with it now.  But I felt like writing. So here I am.

A lot has happened since I've been gone and I wouldn't even being to know where to start telling you all about what has gone on.

So I think I won't.

I think I will just talk about what is happening now.

What is happening right now is that my baby is no longer my baby.  She is almost a complete grown up, almost ready to fly the nest.

I am surprised at how much this bothers me.

She just got her driver's license.  She is old enough to drive without any supervision; she has gained a huge piece of independence.  (how appropriate, just before Independence Day.)  Another big step in not needing her mother.

::sigh::

It bothers me.

I think I have raised my children to be too independent.  They don't seem to need me.

This bothers me.

But why?

Isn't this what I wanted; children who can stand in the world, on their own, making good, sound and intelligent decisions?  Yep, that is what I wanted. 

So why the heck does it bother me that they can do that?

::another sigh::

I know why.

As any mother will understand; we like to be needed.  We NEED to be needed.  We long to nurture and care for.  Even on those days when we don't do it so well.

I'm very proud of my children.

I hope they won't forget that I am right behind them, fully supporting them, always here to help, and cheering them on.

Thanks for listening.

Have a marvelous day!

In the Between

"Forty is the old age of youth; fifty the youth of old age."

My sweet youngest posted this to my facebook wall.  She has an interesting sense of humor, huh?  LOL!  She makes me laugh and I love that about her.

According to this statement, I am in between; 

I am both old and young; 

I am middle aged.

There are days when I can't begin to believe I am as old as I am; sometimes I don't even act half my age.  Then there are days when I feel much older and my bones and joints creak with aging.

I don't know how I feel about being middle aged.  I never in my life thought I'd get this old.  I remember being as young as my daughter (wasn't that yesterday) and thinking almost 50 is OLD;  she is quick to remind that I really am old.

But I don't think I'm old.  I look at my mom who is in her 70's and she looks the same as she did to me when I was much younger. 

She has the most beautiful skin.  Seriously, my mommy does not look her age.  I hope I age as well as she has.

So, I am in between.

I am middle age.

I think I am okay with that.

Have a blessed weekend!

and know that you are loved by me and our wonderful Creator.

Where I'm from

I am from a sketch book and Barbie dolls with their hair cut off, Chrysler automobiles and the Lawrence Welk show, and from Saturday morning cartoons that sang "Conjunction Junction, what's your function...".

I am from the house on the corner, with ghosts in the attic and the basket ball court,  from Saturday night Hide n Seek at the top of the hill, and the little neighborhood store with the soda fountain and penny candy.

I am from the big maples we used to climb, the cold ocean waters, too cold to swim in, and from shoulder high snow banks perfect for making forts, and from the pine trees in the deep woods and tall mountains.

I am from Sunday trips to my grandparents who lived next door to each other and a family that loves sweets, from Alma the fudge maker and Aurore the pie maker and my loving Aunt Jackie who loves me despite me.

I am from the french that was spoken when parents didn't want the kids to know and from the love of a family party, and from a tendency towards perfectionism.

From "go outside and play" and "get up, it's time for school!"

I am from the stained glass of a Catholic church, where we attended faithfully every Sunday and every Catholic holiday; and from where I began to question what faith was and who God was and wondered "just what am I supposed to say when I pray?"

I'm from the city in a rural state, where French abounds, and where Canadian cheese and crepes were our favorites treats. 

From watching my Pepere clean fish at the family camp, having my cousin hit the horse I was on with a switch...and having the saddle not be sinched tight enough to not slip....and the time my aunt hurt her ankle when the whole family decided to ride the toboggan down the hill.  

I am from the family ancestry that my father researched tracing our lineage all the way back to France, and the words to the Canadian National Anthem written by my distant relative, from the photos in my grandmothers many photo albums, and the antique bedroom set and Grammie's old china service.

Thanks to Erin for posting her own "Where I'm from" and for sharing the link to the template.  You can find the template here; please share with us "Where you are from!"

He Turns 26

Today, my baby boy turns 26; no longer my baby boy but a grown man with a child of his own.

I remember the day he was born like it was yesterday.  After 14 hours of labor and too much pushing, the nurses placed him in my arms and I melted.  Here was this little life, brand new and vulnerable, safe in my arms. 

I fell in love.  He was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen.

26 years later he has been through so many things.  Parents divorcing, moving (too many times), the death of a beloved grandfather and friends. 

He’s had good times too, his whole life has not been terrible.  ;-)

But this past year, in particular, has been extremely hard on him.  What he envisioned his future to be, completely fell apart.  That brand new, vulnerable baby is now a grown man that I cannot keep safe from all the hurts and pain this world throws at us all.

But I am so proud of him.  He has come through the past year with much grace and strength.  He has a new vision for his future and he is moving forward, for the sake of his daughter and for himself.  He has refused to allow his past to dictate his future.

So, happy birthday Anthony!  Keep your eyes looking forward, God has a plan for you and I know it is a good one.  You have so much to offer the world.  Never stop smiling and know that you are loved.  

Lexi is blessed to have you as her daddy. 

I am blessed to have you as my son.

It's Been Busy in My World

School has started up for the year, which I always look forward to.  I love a good schedule and school provides that for me.  However, that schedule does tend to get busy!

The youngest one is not playing soccer this year; (I’m making a sad face) she has chosen to cheer instead.  She loves it and who am I to quench her spirit!  So, while I won’t be able to enjoy a good game of soccer, I get to enjoy a good game of football.  I know hubby is happy with that, he loves his football.  So we are going to games and running her back and forth to practices.

The grandbaby has started pre-school.  I was able to go with her on her first day of school.  It was just too precious; her little backpack, her first day of school outfit, and new friends.  Makes a grandmother’s heart all warm and melty.   Every other Wednesday I have the privilege of dropping her off at daycare in the mornings.  Love the little alone times we get together.

We are getting ready to close up the camper for the year.  I sure will miss that place over the winter.  I didn’t realize how noisy our home location was until I encountered the quiet at the lake.  I think we will have to move soon.   But in the meantime, we are spending every weekend there until we are forced out.

Let’s see, what else.  Oh yes, we had some friends visit this past weekend.  We met this couple at our old camping, stomping grounds.  They now come up once a year to visit.  We went out to eat and spent the weekend at the camper.  It was nice to see them.

Oh yes, I have to report that this Tigger no longer bounces.  I took a good spill at the camper over Labor Day weekend.  We thought I broke my arm.  After a visit to the emergency room, we discovered I had not (thankfully).  But I am full of bumps and bruises and typing is kind of hard.  The spot where I hit my arm was also cut, requiring repair.  And it’s on the part of the arm that you rest when typing.  I have kept typing to a minimum, obviously.  You know what, this almost 50 year old body still aches almost two weeks later. 

So, that’s life in a nutshell right now.  That’s why I haven’t posted much.  I’m just getting into my fall/winter routine and need some time to adjust.  I’ve got lots on my mind to share with you all and I will get to it.

In the meantime, know that you are loved and accepted and precious to me….and more importantly to God.

Back From Vacation

Yes, I've been on vacation; partially the reason for my not posting lately.  The other reason is that I've just not had much to say.  Be thankful for that.  ::wink, wink::

So, we are thoroughly enjoying our little haven on the lake.  It is so peaceful and quiet and is where I spent the majority of my vacation. 

Here is a snapshot of our life down to camp....

We build fires, really big ones

We play games, Yatzee is my favorite

We go canoeing.  Love my kids!

We got to the fireworks early to get a prime seat.  It was perfect!

Hubby and I ended my vacation (yes, it was just mine, he did have to work) by visiting my mom who lives about 2 hours away.

This is the long, lonely road to my mother's rural residence.  

 

We always eat at this little diner when visiting.

We took a different route home and found this lovely church.

And now I am back to work. 

Vacations are always too short.

Have a lovely week everyone!

A Weekend With Some of My Family

Big Brother

Protector

Tickler

Adored

Seeeesstteeer

Confidante

Friend

Admired

She Graduates

...and begins a new season in her life.

Momma is so proud of you baby girl!!!

Who's in your backseat?

So yesterday, I'm driving in the car with my 13 year old (who is almost 14 and wanting to drive the car).  We had just finished her weekly tumbling class and we were heading home.  As we got into the car, I noticed a jacket in the back seat and wondered if it was hers or the friend we had given a ride to on the way to class.  Our brief conversation went as follows:

Me:  Is that your jacket in the back seat?
Her:  No, it's Jesus'.
Me:  Really?  I didn't know He was riding with us today.
Her:  That's the problem with people today, they don't know He's always with us.  They've stopped believing.
Me:  :::silence:::

What do you say to that?  Especially when it's true!

My children are very smart and wise beyond their years.  I am so grateful to God for them.

Jesus is, indeed, always with us.

Do you believe that?

Can You Do a Backbend?

Phew, what a busy weekend.

It was a long 3-day one for me and I was so looking forward to some rest and relaxation.

I spent all day Saturday doing laundry and necessary cleaning.  The next two days I had planned to spend time reading and doing some shopping with my youngest daughter.

Thank God I’m flexible. 

I found out Friday night that my uncle had passed away.  So, Sunday afternoon was set aside for the wake of my uncle.

Then the remainder of the day was spent at the emergency room with my youngest daughter.  Not quite the shopping experience I had planned on.

Poor thing had fallen down the stairs while I was at the wake with the rest of my family.  And of course, every family member she tried to call wasn’t answering their phone (they were either at the wake or at work).  She was panicking and I can’t say I blame her; one look at her crooked toe was enough to scare anyone.  (She actually posted a picture of it on her facebook page and elicited plenty of “eewwwws” from her friends.  Just the effect she was going for.  :::mom eyes rolling:::)  Thankfully, the mother of a friend came to her rescue.  Her sister arrived home from work at about the same time and took her to the emergency room.

Then it was my turn to panic when I checked my phone for messages as I left the funeral home.  I flew to the emergency room to find her and her sister in the “flu room.”  Apparently, those were the only seats left when they arrived.  ::sigh::  Praying that none of us get the flu.  We waited several hours until we could be seen.

Her toe ended up being dislocated and not broken.  This is a good thing.  If it had been broken, there wouldn’t have been much they could do and she would have had a deformed toe for life.

I have to tell you, she was one brave girl as they fixed it for her!  :::shiver:::  She asked the doctor, nurse and I if it was alright to cry when she found out they would have to poke her toe with a needle and pull on it to straighten it….and we all said in unison, YES!  I would have.  But she didn’t.  What a little toughie she is.

I then spent Monday at my uncle’s funeral.

His youngest daughter and first grandchild did his eulogy, while his two oldest daughters did the readings (it was a Catholic mass).  My heart broke for them as I watched them struggle to speak.  I remember, like it was yesterday, the emotions and heartache I felt when my own father died.

They spoke of his being a great chef and his love of cooking (he really was a great chef and cooked for some pretty prominent people here in Maine).  They talked of his love for his wife (my aunt) and how happy he must be to be with her again.  And they talked of his love for his family.

Between the wake and the funeral, I was able to catch up with cousins, aunts and uncles that I hadn’t seen for a while.  It’s so terrible that we only see each other at times like these or at the family reunion held every two years.  We were all so close as kids, with mine and my uncle’s family traveling down to their hometown almost every weekend when we were young.  I was fortunate that both of my grandparents lived right next door to each other.  I have very fond memories of my childhood being spent with extended family.

But, we all grow up and become busy with our own families.  Some move away, some stay close by.  It’s all good and as it should be.  However, the time & distance doesn’t stop us from coming together to be supportive of each other when the need arises.

We’re all pretty flexible like that.  The best laid plans can always be set aside when it comes to family. Providing the comfort only family can give, when its needed, is important.

So I’m glad my weekend didn’t go as planned.  I’m glad I could be there to provide comfort to my daughter.  I’m glad that I could be there for my cousins at a time when they needed the support.

And I’m so grateful that God impressed on me to attend church on Sunday morning with my old church family.  Their love, hugs and joy helped me get through the remaining weekend.  And this, my friends, is the subject of another post for another day.

May the Lord bless you all abundantly…and with lots of flexibility. 

ASPCA

This commercial always breaks my heart.  The poor animals look so sad and heartbreaking, you can tell that they have truly been abused and neglected.

How can anyone treat a poor, defenseless animal so badly?  I don't understand how someone can take an animal into their home, knowing full well that animal will depend completely on them, then neglect them so badly.

We have three cats and a hamster here in our house.

We love them all dearly.  Our cats are completely spoiled.

We have Smokey, our fat cat, who loves everyone and everyone loves him.  If you pick him up in your arms, he'll quickly snuggle up into your neck and start licking your ear.  He sleeps most of the day away and is the king of the house.  Even hubby would admit that to you.

Then there is his sister Midnight.  A petite, black panther who acts very demure and innocent, but who I'm sure leads a secret, alter-ego life when we leave.

There is actually a nice story behind our acquiring these two.

In our old neighborhood, there was a stray cat that was pregnant.  Everyone in the neighborhood took care of her.  Apparently, we were all cat lovers and worried about her and her unborn babies.  She was well fed and watered.

It was sometime in May; days were mild, but nights were still cold.

Hubby, I and the  kids were sitting on the front steps when we noticed mommy cat run down our driveway with something grey in her mouth.  Thinking she had caught a mouse and horrified that she might eat something so nasty, I had my husband run after her to try to get it away from her.

He caught up with her and as I was turning the corner he hollered for me to come closer.  She was sitting at our back door with this grey mass in her mouth, waiting patiently for something.  As I got closer, there was no mistaking that what I thought was a mouse was actually a baby kitten!

Hubby looked at me, with that questioning look of "what should we do?'  I told him to open the door and she shot in so quick we had to run to see where she ended up.  We found her dropping off her baby under our bed, then running back out the open door.  She quickly came back with another baby.

We were ready for her this time.  I had cleared a spot and placed a soft towel for her to lay her babies.  When she headed out again, hubby and oldest daughter followed her and found two more babies.  Mommy cat carried one home and oldest daughter carried the other one.

And there they stayed until mommy cat decided they were old enough for her to leave.  We kept two, that first grey one, our fat cat, and the runt of the litter, our little midnight.  We adopted the other two out and we regularly see one of them at my sister's house.

Finally, we have Zena (warrior princess) who we adopted about four years ago.  She's a beautiful, yellow long haired brat.  Yes, we have a fat cat and we have a brat cat; the princess (Midnight) tolerates them...barely.

They are all with us until they take their last breath.  It would break my heart in a million pieces to leave them behind if we had to move and I can't even begin to imagine leaving them outside to fend for themselves.

Please, don't adopt a pet unless you intend to care for them their entire life.  They need you and depend on you.

Christmas + Family = Joy

I love the Christmas season.  There is so much joy in the air.

And while we shouldn't need a reason, it gives us one to get our family together.  This year, hubby & I hosted the family get together for his side of the family.  There was yummy food, a very fun ornament swap, and lots of togetherness.  Here's the whole crew, minus a sister. 

I know I am blessed by my family.  And I know that not everyone on this earth is so blessed.  There are  many people out there who have no family to celebrate with...they are alone this holiday season.  My heart breaks for them.

We should all take this time to stop in the midst of our festivities and look around us.  Who might we be passing by, without noticing the look of loneliness in their eyes.  And who might be facing the inability to buy their children presents this Christmas because of a job layoff?

I don't want to be a killjoy, I want us all to enjoy the season and celebrate the birth of our savior.  But let us not forget others.  Reach out to someone each day and do whatever you can to be a blessing to them.  It could be something as simple as inviting someone who is alone this year into your home for a wonderful meal.  Maybe bringing a plate full of treats to a family who may not have much; or even provide a gift card from a local grocery store to a family who is just scraping by.  Pick one of those angels off the charity Christmas tree and make a child's Christmas just a little special this year.

You know what you can do.  And as long as it comes from your heart, that is all that matters.

From my heart to yours, may your Christmas be blessed.  May you find joy, peace & love.  And may you discover the greatest gift you could ever receive...Jesus Christ.

Many blessings.

Soccer

One of my favorite parts of fall is watching my girls play their favorite sport.  This past Friday I watched my youngest play soccer in her dad's old hometown.  Her team won and she scored the first goal of the game!

This is her going in for the goal.

I'm very proud of my kids!

A Day of Firsts

25 Years ago today, I gave birth to my first child. It was a day of many firsts.

-I gave birth to my first child.
-I became a parent for the first time.
-I understood exactly what unconditional love really was for the first time.
-I pushed my body beyond its limits (or my perceived limits) for the first time.
-I had my first overnight hospital stay.

And for the first time, I realized that my life was not my own; it now belonged to someone else. A tiny little person that would depend on me. I grew up quite fast that day. Here was this little life that needed me to provide food, shelter, clothing, loving arms, encouragement, and guidance.

Becoming a parent for the first time is quite overwhelming when you think about it. You’ve just given birth and you’re looking down into their little face, all emotional with love and exhaustion, and you’re hit with the responsibility that you now have.

I experienced all that two more times. Each time just as powerful as the first.

But that first time had a significant impact on my life, because it caused my life to change. It was my first major life change.

Phew, that’s a lot of firsts.

And today, is another first. My first born just turned 25 years old. That’s a quarter of a century folks!!! For the first time I am the parent of a quarter century old child. YIKES!!!

Happy Birthday to my first born, my one & only son. I am very proud of you.

Sons are a heritage from the Lord children a reward from him.

Psalm 127.3 (NIV)

Another Camping Season Over, Off to the Next Adventure.

We finished up the camping season with our annual Labor Day camping trip. We left on Friday, facing down Earl (the hurricane) with fierce determination.

We were very disappointed.

We don’t normally look forward to camping in hurricane force winds and rain and I lamented all week long about whether to go or to not go. But we had already paid for the whole trip and I also don’t like wasting my hard earned money. With a last minute check of the weather, we decided to head out; just the hubby & I.

We got poured on….and that was it. There was absolutely no wind, just a hard down pour that kept us awake most of the night. We headed back into town the next morning to get the youngest camper and enjoyed the remainder of the weekend in sun, although the temperature had dropped dramatically so we didn’t do any swimming.

During this trip, we decided our little pop-up was too small and that we wanted to upgrade. Well, at least youngest camper & I decided. Hubby goes along with anything we suggest and has agreed to put our pop-up on the market. I’ve started looking for a larger, self-contained trailer that we can leave at the campground for the season.

I think next summer will be a lot more enjoyable. No packing (except for food and clothes), no putting up the camper (leveling, jacking, etc) and then 2-3 days later reversing the process. Yep, just pack some food and clothes and off we go for the weekend.

So now we are into the school season and all of its extra-curricular activities. Looking forward to a little more sanity in my life.

HAHAHAHAHA.

Did I say sanity in my life?

Just a little insane moment I was having there.

Have a blessed day everyone!

First Day of School

Love this time of year.  With school in session, it seems life is much more orderly and predictable.  I like my life that way, most of the time anyways.

I always take pictures.  My kids roll their eyes at me, but I know they secretly enjoy having this day permanently recorded for history.

While I was able to get DD #1's photo, DD #2 decided that she needed to get ready at her friend's house.  She is at the age when appearance is everything and it has to be just right....and only her friend's can help her with that.  No problem, I'll get her picture tomorrow. 

Today was DD #1's last, first day of school.  She is a senior this year.  I didn't notice when I was taking the picture, but see the little toddler booster chair in the background?  While it belongs to my granddaughter (her niece) the irony of it wasn't lost on me.

It seems like just yesterday she was sitting in the same seat (or one just like it).

:::sigh:::

Yesterday marked another first day.  My son, who long ago had his last first day of school, had another first day of school!  He is taking an EMT course at our local college.  So proud of him for going back to school to better himself.

So many firsts.

I can't let myself get overwhelmed.

Don't you let yourself get overwhelmed either!

Blessings!

A Weekend Full of Family

The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together.

~Erma Bombeck

Phew! What a weekend. Non-stop family. Loved it!

Started my weekend on Friday with lunch on the deck with my sisters. We really need to do that more often so we can stay in touch better.

Then spent Saturday on the water at my sister-in-law's house.

And finished off the weekend at a Routhier Family Reunion.  A reunion that proved, as always, to be highly entertaining. 

I'm going to need a week to recover! 

I love my family. 

God bless!

Family

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them.

~Desmond Tutu

I have two older sisters and one older brother.  Yep, I'm the baby of the family, amongst four children born to my parents.

Family is very important to me.

I'm thinking about family today because it seems it's going to be one big family weekend.

Today, I am going to lunch with my sisters; a lunch that is long overdue.  Tomorrow, we are heading up to my sister-in-law's house to celebrate our niece's and nephew's birthday (which just happens to be on the same day).  Sunday finds us traveling for a bi-annual reunion of my mother's family.

Good times are to be had this weekend.

And that's the way it should be when family is together.  Lots of hugs, lots of laughter, sharing of memories and connections re-kindled.

I love my family.

Have a blessed weekend everyone!

July 4th Camping Trip

Our camping trip this past weekend followed closely on the heels of our trip to Peakes Kinney and proved to be a much better time.

We went to Branch Lake Campground.  We have camped there before and always enjoy ourselves; but this trip we chose a different site and I'm glad that we did.  We usually pick a site close to the beach area and it's always busy, with people walking by.  This site was further away and a bit more secluded, but not so far that a walk to the water was torture.

See how large it is?  Lots of space to spread out and a nice sunbathing area.

DD #2 brought a friend this time and was not nearly as bored as she was the first trip.  It was a very relaxing weekend, with time spent napping, swimming and being beach bums.  We were all red by the end of the weekend.

It also happened to be the 4th of July and my birthday!  I made my mom's yummy whoopie pie cake (which she normally makes for me, but she is too far away); you can see it over on my cake blog.  We drove into town to eat at my favorite Chinese restaurant, only to find it closed (very sad face here).  But the fireworks put a smile back on my face.

Grampy showed granddaughter how her sparklers looked just like the big fireworks.

See?

This weekend will find us staying home and relaxing. And I'll be busy picking raspberries then freezing them for enjoyment later in the year.

Blessings!