The week in pictures

Did you know that people mock me for my ever present ever clicking camera? (As you can tell this bothers me terribly). However along with the fact that I have never regretted taking photos, and capturing those memories, I find that it can also be a very effective means of journaling when life gets too hectic to keep a traditional one, and your brain needs to make space for current events. My photos download by date and I can keep track of where the week went by seeing one of the many snapshots that I take on most days. I feel blessed that God saw fit to put me in a time where digital photography exists. I am amazed at how quickly I forget and how much of my life would just be lost in the past if it weren't for my many, many photos.

So the last week is a blur, as are most weeks, but by downloading my camera I am able to bring it all back! Hooray! I must note that on Monday my sister Thalia had a birthday. Since my sister Thalia is in South Africa I did not manage to take any photos of her but this is one I took



when I was in her general vicinity in January
I also failed to mention the birthdays of my sister Shona on the 30th of March

and my brother (aka shrink) Seth on the 16th of April


They are all quite lovely are they not? I wrote them each birthday sonnets too (Thalia, yours is still a work in progress), but they are too replete with inside family jokes to be fully appreciated for the genius that they are on in a public forum.

Also, and only since she brought it up ......on Monday there was a traumatic event. Much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth ensued.

On Tuesday, Finny had a bike parade at school. They rode around the college campus. The students thought this was very cute. Finny was rather excited. It was very, very sweet. You must click on the pictures so that you can see his expressions. They are too good to miss. Clicking on the pictures in general is always a good idea. The quality is much better. (This rule applies to any photos which do not include me)






His big brothers came to watch and lent their support on the long ride home



Then it was Whacky Wednesday which Finny marked thusly:





On Thursday I was talking to Aaron on the phone, and he somehow sensed (I have no idea how since I never whine), that I was feeling somewhat unhappy due to the lack of running, lack of flowers, subsequent lack of motivation and subsequent lack of order in the house. The PMS was the cherry on the top. As I was leaving for a TA stint with the first graders, he arrived at the front door. I asked him if he had been fired, and he replied to the negative. That was good. He said he just wanted to "fix a few things".

When I returned home about 2 hours later, I saw a walkway lined with freshly planted colourful tulips, a lovely clean house (including the disaster created by Gracie's "lesson"-yes, it had remained a disaster for all those days). I was filled with much joy and gladness. No, seriously I was. This man had managed to pull off a miracle which included going to the nursery and purchasing the tulips with the gift certificate that poor sweet Tiffany had given us as restitution. It just turned my whole state of mind from dark to light.

He really is phenomenal -the most thoughtful, least selfish person I know. And how lucky am I to be married to him? I know! Right? Also, next year (nature and neighbours willing) sorry Tiff I couldn't resist ;) I am going to have a bumper crop of tulips when the original ones return along with the new ones.

Whilst my heart was full of happiness and gratitude I thought it prudent to put on some running shoes and fulfill Aaron's one request, that I go for a run. I reaaaallllllly did not feel like it and decided that I would run a mile just to make him happy, besides this would be smart since I was just coming back after an injury and blah blah blah maybe I would just walk it, yes, I could just become a walker. They always look happy...blahblahblah...

In the end I ran a little over 6 miles (or 10 kms, which sounds better no?). And it was some of the most enjoyable distance running I have experienced in a very long time, maybe as long as I can remember. I made a concerted effort to go slowly (which is harder then you think when you are outside) and about 3 miles in, I was starting to feel some twinges in my achilles and shins, so I experimented with the horrifying 1 minute walking for every mile concept.

Except I now see you are actually supposed to take a walk break for like every 3 minutes of running- which I do not think I will embrace.

Anyway, holy cow, that minute goes fast! At first it felt like learning to walk again, it was very weird and uncomfortable but the subsequent times felt stretchy and very beneficial actually, and the pains went away. I came home feeling as if I could have easily run another 10kms and honestly, I am fairly sure I could run a marathon tomorrow using that method. I felt no soreness or ill effects, even though I expected to, having taken some time off. I am starting to quite warm to the idea of a slow and enjoyable marathon. I'm not sure what I averaged, it was slow but not you know..walking slow, probably a little under 10 min miles. I just know that I really focused on going much slower then I felt I could, which I thought would be excruciating, but it actually wasn't after I found a rhythm. I was able to just go into auto pilot, meditate and truly enjoy the pretty Spring surroundings. I ran out into the country and it was very peaceful, I could listen to really mellow music rather then the stuff I usually need to pump me up. I could even imagine *gasp* not running with music at all (I have run half marathons sans music before, now that I think about it. I believe I may go back to zen running, slowing way...way down, forgetting about my time, and just really enjoying it again. I think my body is designed for distance but not for speed and it appear to object to a combination of the two. I'll still have my adrenaline junky (relatively) "speedy "runs, but I will keep those short.

I should mention that I am working on getting control of the competitive aspects of my nature, they do not serve me well. Not even a little bit.

On Thursday, Gabe got his Wolf badge/certification Scout thingie-Yay Gabe! Benj got a few badges too, go Benj! At this juncture I must intercept by asking if there is anyone outside of this area who pronounces WOLF as WOOF. And if so, Why? Why? Why do they do this? I find it deeply disturbing. Even my kids, poor young impressionable souls that they are, started pulling the WOOF thing, but I nipped it in the bud, oh yes I did, never you fear. It was that or move immediately.


There's sweet Gabe receiving his badge (I found photos of him attaching a little wolf pin to my lapel-which I totally do not deserve as I have no input on the scout thing whatsoever, anyway it is a sweet concept, but those pictures make me look even more drunk and/or senile then ever so you will just have to imagine. ) And there is Benj providing some entertainment in the form of card tricks which I did not understand. (In other words, they were quite clever).
His interesting ensemble is due to having come straight from soccer practise.

Ah and I see that afterwards, Gracie (dressed in Daisy regalia) climbed a tall piece of playground equipment. I am relieved to have chronicled that for posterity. But really, the matching of her pinafore to the bars..I found it pleasing.


Speaking of Gracie, on Friday she had her kindergarten concert. Oh so so SO adorable it was! She was a greeter and passer outer of programs



She was so super focused on the task at hand. Serious, serious business. It was extremely funny and sweet.



And then there was Saturday and I am off to see what happened then as I was an absentee mother all day. Ah! What a surprise! Soccer for all. And it appears that my children are destined to soccer greatness. That there pointy blue headed young-un is the Finnster, scoring a goal. I sure wish his coach was not such a low reactor.

The blonde bombshell scored a couple too I heard


Gabe the babe showing Beckham how it is done

Benj going in for the kill




Ah the treasury of pictures I found in the this week's archives...there are photos of me vacuuming a light fixture and steam mopping the floor simultaneously, the coordination of which leaves me in awe, yet I will spare you as this is already a rather a long post. Also many pictures of spring marvels, blossoms and blooms and green, green, green. Happy happy! Joy Joy!

While my family were ensconced in soccer yesterday I was at a women's conference at church. It was really quite fabulous. The speaker really motivated and moved me, got me all raring to be a much better mother, wife and person with big albeit vague, plans to fulfill various life's missions and then, last night I had a really jarring, rug pulled out from under me moment which I will have to figure out a way to recount obliquely enough for public consumption. So I am going into the next week, reeling a little from that, but with a sense that this is one of those learning moments which I can use to grow closer to God and improve myself over...or not. I believe I will try the former approach. In my advancing years I am gaining a testimony that in the end, it all makes you stronger. Crazier first perhaps, but eventually..stronger. Life is so completely unpredictable and just when you think you are getting it a little bit down, you get a new test to shake things up and keep you awake and praying. It is a good thing I think. I don't love it, but I can see the value in it.
And then there was Sunday. On the way home from church, Benj and Gabe and Gracie recounted some of the articles of faith they have memorized (all on their own I might add). Benj has actually memorized them all. They have so much to teach their mother. I think that is why they were sent to me. I believe that if we could see each of our spirits, I would be a toddler and they would be quite venerable.

Also, on Sunday, I had a nap. I'm not going to lie, it was awesome. It is also the reason I am typing this now.

And so that is my week. A pretty ordinary week but with some extraordinary moments, which were it not for my trusty pet camera, I may have lost...dun dun duuuun...FOREVER. So there. Smile! Click.

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