There are many times that Mark comes home from work, I ask him about his day, and I have no idea what he is talking about. I don’t think I have ever been really good at numbers. So, when you add things like ‘variables’, ‘percentages’, acronyms, ‘amortization’…etc. etc…. I am often asking him to ‘dumb’ it down for me. You know: put what he’s saying in terms that I would understand. Funny enough, he often chooses food terms to help get his point across. This was an explanation he gave me the other night…
He came home talking about how this one part of his job, a part of which he really likes, is soon going to be outsourced by the bank. Long and the short of it is that they are getting someone else to do this part so that he and his colleagues can spend more time on other things. He was quite saddened by this and without my questioning it, he went on to say,
“You know Jes, it’s like if you were asked to make a soup everyday.”
Me: ”Uh-huh”..
Mark: “You’re favourite part is being able to cut the carrots up…”
Me: “Hmm”..
Mark: “…and they say: Guess what!?..We are going to get someone to cut those carrots up for you. However, we’re still going to have you put them in the pot.”
Me: (*my face resembles a mix between trying to show that a ‘light has gone on in my head’ and a ’shocked look’ to show that I really can’t imagine the sadness I would feel at the actual occurence of this situation-and, of course, a sympathizing look just for him-rough day! 
)
Mark: (*Leans back, satisfied that he has correctly communicated his frustrations to his wife).
Me: (*thinking: hmm soup for supper tomorrow night?)
…read my last post and really aren’t quite sure: No, I do not seriously celebrate ground hog day (though I am sure there are those that do), and No, I do not really believe that this animal accurately depicts weather patterns. I have, however, been curious about this day and do genuinely wonder how did this actually become a ‘day’ on our calender. I also wonder how many people actually know about this day. In regards to my old roommate, she had NO idea.
Anyways, it is gloriously foggy and cool out side today. My plan is to stay inside, where it’s warm, and have a nice visit with a good friend.
I hope today finds you warm and enjoying moments with special people.
Be blessed.
Two, what I would call, ‘highlights of my year’ happened this past week.
First, groundhog day. I don’t know for how long I have gotten excited about this day, but it’s been a while. I have found this day to be one of the ‘less observed’, if not even ‘unobserved’, of the year. Hense, the need to celebrate and really be passionate about it. I have a friend who thought I was completely ridiculous when I woke up one year, while we were living together, asking if the ‘groundhog had seen its shadow’. This is very important because the groundhog seeing or not seeing his shadow, accurately dictates the longevity of our winter. For all those who care…
The groundhog did indeed see its shadow yesterday. Thus, causing it to scamper back into hibernation. Thus, informing us of a winter which will continue forth for the next six weeks. For all you winter-haters out there it’s great-you now have more time for that much needed sun-fun getaway. Not me, I was born with snow in my veins. Haha. No, not really, but this leaves for more time skating…sledding…coming in from the cold to a hot fire and warm drinks…walks in the snow…
Oh and speaking of walks in the snow, that leads me to the next highlight of my year. I will begin with a picture (or two):
As of this week, Mark, Weston and I are proud owners of some raw Alberta soil…err…land! This is honestly a dream come true for us. I plan to talk in more detail of this on a future date but I wanted to share our news. Our plan is to rent it out and pay the land down for a while yet. Yet, someday we will hopefully, God-willing, get to build and live on it. Once again, maybe just like groundhog day this is not something everybody gets excited about. However, I am so excited to say that I am a farmer now.
Haha
To soon?
I did a wedding cake for a friends sister-in-law this past weekend. I hadn’t done this type of thing in a while so it was sure fun being able it again. I found myself questioning how much batter should I make to fit certain pans…how much icing will I need…etc etc.. Who knew it would only take a little while to get that rusty?! The cake is similar to a couple that I had done this summer but I thought I would post a picture nonetheless.
Also, just thought I would post another picture of our little guy. Some of you out there might get a kick out of this…
This morning, at 6:00 am, I jolt out of bed (to a little man crying next door) realizing that I have not gotten up once since Weston went to bed at 10:00 pm. Yikes! Have I slept through his cries for food? or is it possible that he has not woken up all night?
I stumble through the house, not yet lit up by the sun beginning to rise. I pull a fairly tear-laden, yet happy-to-see-me, boy out of the crib. Yes! He is indeed hungry. As he begins to eat and I wake up, I count on my fingers the amount of hours he slept (counting using my fingers allows for an extra extent of accuracy in my mathematics at my dozey state). Wow, I am in awe…especially when I realize that I also slept that long and how in the world could I be this out of it?!
After he feeds I place him on the table which is always greeted with cries! You’d think after all this time he’d be used to getting his diaper changed. I, who have gotten quite skilled (or so I think) at getting the diaper off and on without issues, approach his side for yet another ‘cleaning of the messes’.
Cries continue.
One diaper off. Perfect.
Reach around for the other diaper. Oops… not quick enough. Warm liquid spraying all over him, all over me, all over wall, all over change table.
Start over.
Get another diaper.
Diaper layed as I reach around for some diaper cream.
Whats that again? More warm liquid? This time all over my hand, all over his second clean diaper.
Diaper cream…all over finger, all over diaper, all over his leg…not on his bottom.
Wonderful.
Start over again.
Grab another diaper. Lay it in place. Diaper cream on.
Oh dear…then comes the spit up. This fluid, all over his clean sleeper, all over the change pad, all over his face.
Finish putting on the diaper. Finally success! Lift him up and out of sleeper. As I place him on my shoulder he gets fluid all over me. Fantastic!
Lay clean sleeper out on the change table. Lay son on the sleeper and proceed to dress him.
All this time he has been crying. Hating to get changed. Hating getting cold.
Finally I have him back to normal. Diaper on. Sleeper on. Cries subside.
I lift him up off the change table.
Wait…whats that? His back is completely soaked.
Way to go Jes!
…I layed the sleeper and son on all the spit up on the change pad.
Alert and efficient are not the words I would use to describe me this morning…at 6:00 am.
No excuses? You’re correct.
Prayers? yes please!
…a very blessed Christmas.
A very good friend of mine brought to mind the simple and real fact that Jesus came to us as a baby. As I look at Weston, I take delight in just watching him and now…trying to make him smile. I really cannot do anything to impress him. I come to him quietly…filled with awe.
I believe that this is how Jesus wanted us to approach Him…
…delightfully looking up to Him
…approaching Him quietly and peacefully
…being completely overtaken with awe
This is my prayer this Christmas-to rest in His glory and wonder.
I didn’t have time to send out Christmas cards this year. However, here is a little picture…and a very Merry Christmas wish for all of you.
Be Blessed.
We have a wood burning fire-place in our house, which I love. What I don’t love is how quickly the area around the fireplace can get littered with ash and bits of wood/bark/dirt. I am finding that I have to vacuum quite often in order to make our living area not look so much like a barn. Yesterday was one of those such times, hence the ‘not so smart move’…
While I was vacuuming, I stopped for a moment to stoke the fire and put another log on it. This was my feeble attempt to allow the last bits of ash to tumble out of the fire-place before I cleaned it up-hoping that it would then stay clean for a long while after. Little did I realize that some small hot burning embers had fallen out the fire-place at this moment as well. Because of my unobservedness at this point, I went ahead and sucked all of this ‘dirt’ up with our vacuum cleaner. A few moments later I was greeted with a smoke-ish stench coming from behind me. As I turned around I saw smoke leaking out of our vacuum cleaner. The next moments were a blurr, like I was caught in a fast paced action movie. Somewhere in all the panic I was able to open the vacuum, remove the filter bag, open our front door, and toss the burning bag out into the snow. I have been known to have quick hands . Here is a photo of what greeted Mark by the door when he came home from work. He, for some reason, seems a little nervous now to leave me home alone. Hmm…strange.
I definitely learned a valuable lesson yesterday.
In other news, our little man turned one month old yesterday. I now see what everybody means-time sure goes by fast!
So, as I am sure you all know how the story goes, having a little one sure causes ones nights to be a little broken up. Adjusting to his feeding and sleeping schedule has become, as it seems, my full-time job. Except for the momentary plead for Weston to ‘please…please tell me what you want right now’, I think that things have gone fairly well. However, in light of a recent nights events, I think the mommy might be getting a little loopy from the lack of sleep. Heres what happened…
I guess the background to this story is that as of a few nights ago we have moved Weston into his own bedroom to sleep. I needed to have the bassinet next to my bed the first couple weeks because it was very difficult to hoist myself out of bed to get him when he needed to be fed. It was really nice having him near but we sure heard every grunt and sigh from him and because we are light sleepers, we would wake up every time. Now that my wound is starting to feel better we just thought we would try having him in his room and have the baby monitor help alert me when he feels it’s time to feed. This has actually worked really well and Mark is definitely enjoying his sleepful nights again.
As for me, I do still sleep fine but like I said-it’s just a little broken up. I can be fairly ‘zombie-ish’ when I wake up to feed. Sometimes I think I am still in a dream world. This is where my story comes in. The other night I awoke to half-hearing Weston stirring in the other room. I think I faded in and out of sleep for a few moments when suddenly Mark rolls over and says, “Jes, I think hes ready to eat.” Now I am not sure what I was thinking, my only explanation for this is that I was maybe having a dream that I was already feeding him. I responded to Mark saying, “It’s ok, I already have him here feeding.” To which I then woke up more and was having a little trouble. I said, “Oh shoot, where’d he go?!” as I patted around the bed looking for him. Once I woke up fully I realized that I didn’t have him at all and that it was definitely time to feed. How embarrassing! Who, for one, thinks they are nursing when they are not? and, for two, loses their son in the process?
Ooops.
