Knitting In The North

Realities & Blessings

Another Friday is here - it's amazing how quickly they are arriving these days!  I've missed the last couple of weeks, but am ready to get some closure on this week, by joining in with Madeline Bea!

 

 

 

 

 

Reality:  Our washing machine has been on it's last legs for a good long while.  We were hoping it would hang in there until Christmas (when we could score an awesome Boxing Day Sale), but it gave up the ghost this week.  It blew a seal, and leaked grease all over a load (even more annoying - the load in the machine at the time held our white shower curtain, a pair of shoes and Liam's crib sheets.  Groan.). 

 

Blessing:  Even though it wasn't in the plan, we were still able to get a new washing machine.  It's an efficient, front loading one (with a wool setting - very important), which makes my crunchy heart happy.  Even better, it's Bahama Blue - oh so pretty.  Maybe I should paint the laundry room to match?  

 

 

 

 

 

Reality:  We're busy getting ready for our Williams Family Adventure this July - a road trip to Ontario, to see Stuart's family, with a stop in Manitoba to see mine, too.  While I'm excited at the idea, the reality of 8 long travelling days with the kids was a little less thrilling. 

 

Blessing:  Enter Stuart, the Wonder Husband!  He noticed that there was an airline seat sale, and booked tickets for me, Katie, Gwenyth & Liam to fly to Winnipeg a few days before we were scheduled to leave.  (Brian can't come, because he has Squirt camp at our local Bible Camp.  He doesn't mind that he's being left behind, since he gets to go to camp, and then have two days of "guy time" with Stuart while they drive to Winnipeg together.)  We'll hang out with my mom for a long weekend, and the boys will pick us up to head on to Ontario.  I'm sooo happy - I haven't had any quality time with my mom for a couple of years, and I miss her terribly.  I can hardly wait - extra days with my mom, and two less driving days with the kids?  Priceless!

 

 

Realities & Blessings (On Saturday)

Reality: It's been yet another long week.  Yesterday, when I finally had a chance to sit down at the computer to write this post, I was too tired to think straight, and gave it a miss.

 

Blessing:  Because I wasn't at work, I had the freedom to give myself some space last night.  I read to the kids, fooled around on the computer for a bit, and went to bed early with a new book.  I'm feeling much better today; sometimes, a little "me" time is all it takes!

 

 

 

 

Reality:  One of the kids, who prefers to remain nameless (meaning, No One did it again), cleaned up our back door area by tossing all the shoes there out onto the deck.  Unfortunately, it then rained for two days, at which point I realized my favourite old brown shoes were missing.  You know where I found them, right?  Sigh.  They're ruined, (although since I've been wearing them since I was pregnant with Brian, they've had a decent run) and I was really upset.

 

Blessing:  What's not to like about new shoes?  I took a quick stop into one of those discount name brand stores, and found these!  They're just my style, they're leather, and comfy on top of it.  I suppose I can't be too annoyed now, eh?

 

 

Would you like to play along, too? 
 

Realities & Blessings

 

Happy Friday!  The last week's R&B post went so well, I'm back again - as she likes to say...   because even when things aren't wonderful, they still kind of are...

 

Reality:  After all the drama last week, I hoped for some peace & quiet.  Instead, we got the flu.  One at a time, each of us were sick as can be.  Nasty.  Have I mentioned lately that I don't like to be sick?

 

Blessing:  We were sick one at a time, rather than all of us, including me, being down at once.  I was able to see the beauty of our family, as we pitched in to pick up the slack for the sick one, and take care of each other.  And it's over already - Thank God!

 

 

 

 

Reality:  The small city I live in, is really quite small.  And even more than the quantity of people who live here, we tend to have a pretty small-town mentality.  This means that there are often things that we can't get here, especially things I see online and crave.  Recently, I've been seeing ranunculus blossoms on all kinds of nice blogs, and I've wanted some for my very own.  I stopped in at every florist I went past, and there were simply none to be had.  I grumbled, and sighed, and resented the small place I live, which suddenly felt too small.

 

Blessing:  The small-town-ness of here is one of the things we love about living here.  During a busy day at work, I can chat with my optician, meet my daughter's new kindergarten teacher, catch up with a friend.  We feel safe, and the amenities we do have are near by when we want to take advantage of them.  Even better, on a spontaneous trip into a local grocery store's garden centre, what do you think I found?  Potted ranunculus!  Who wants to buy cut flowers, when I can now have a whole pot of my very own?  It made me feel special, and taken care of, and instantly more optimistic about life in general.  Don't you love that feeling?

 

 

 

Realities & Blessings (And Finally... Some Green!)

 

 

I'm going to try something new today - I've been following along Madeline Bea's Realities & Blessings posts each Friday, and I like the way it wraps up the week, and focuses on the positive.  After the craziness of the last little while, this seems like a good thing to try out.

 

 

 

Reality:  When washing Gwenyth's hair Monday night, I came across a bug in her hair.  I didn't think anything of it, until Brian mentioned how many kids at his school have lice right now.  Lice!  Feel free to allow your stomach a moment to turn - I know I did.  Yep.  Lice it was, and then it showed up in two of the other kids, as well.  Good Lord, I've been a basket case, treating kids, combing out hair, washing (and re-washing) and drying every single fabric item in the house.  It's been gross, and no matter how many people tell me this is completely normal, all I can tell you is that if I get it, I'm shaving my head.  Seriously.

 

Blessing:  Here's one to cut my teeth on, eh?  Where could a blessing possibly be, here?  Well...  after the last few weeks of busy, busy, busy, I've been grounded at home.  I'm very grateful that I wasn't trying to work on top of all this, and that I was scheduled for days off just in time to face this.  I got to make up stories for Gwenyth to help her stop crying as I combed her hair - again.  I spent time with each of my kids, sitting and talking, even if the reason we had to sit there wasn't great.  My sister stopped by to offer support & supplies & a bit of help.  And my house, and all the beds, are cleaner than they've been in a good long while. 

 

 

 

Reality:  My work schedule for next week just came out, and I'm cranky about it.  I'm working (still) way more hours than I would like, and this particular week has two shifts that I don't usually work, are longer than I would like, and mess up my plan for the week. 

 

Blessing:  Obviously, I'm needed and appreciated at my job.  The extra money that I've been earning will be very nice in a few months, when we take our trip East.  I have the ability to change my availability at work, so that this kind of thing doesn't keep happening (and which I'm going to do right away.)

 

 

 

Reality:  I'm anxious to get out into the garden, and our last-frost date is still a month away.  We had a small burst of warm weather, but are now back to the cool, sometimes rainy spring days that are the norm around here.  I'm longing for sunshine and growing things and some GREEN already!

 

Blessing:  It's coming!  I can't get into the garden, but I did go online and order some organic seeds.  And when they get here, some of them can be started inside, to give me a little fix to tide me over.  And look at the pictures!  My tulips have suddenly bloomed, and the apple, pear and lilac trees are budding and growing tiny little leaves - just looking at them makes me breathe easier. 

 

 

 

So there you go - this weeks reality, and a few blessing I've been able to find along the way.  How was your week - any blessings to share?  How about a little reality?