Reunion

Noun
1. a gathering of people who have been apart
2. the act of coming together again

There was a full size pool table in our rental cabin but I did not play one game on it. Instead, I watched my boy’s toddler dance to good reggae on its surface and cautioned them not to throw the cue ball at my forehead.

There were three sets of stairs at the 2 neighboring cabins but I did not have to worry about their climbing skills. They finally have those down, taking them with more ease than I. My knees are killing me after 5 days of stair climbing.

And yet this kid can jump out of a tree like this. He is the daredevil.

We did not go out to any bars or have any quiet drinks. Instead there was an intense dance off on the 70s era shag carpet with the three small ones taking the center at every opportunity. And the bar? I did not sit at it, rather rescued my boys when they trapped themselves in the metal foot rest at its base.

I did play a few rounds of Passoi, the loudest one at the table, ribbing everyone else for their card choices.

I did eat three meals a day, but only cooked one of them. I canoed with the boys in lap and then solo, flipping myself out mid-lake at one point and being rescued by three strong men, all to the frantic cries of Mace in Tim’s lap screaming “Mama Up! Mama Up!”.

I did knit a bit, watch a movie all the way through, and watch naked babies cavort in the sand (Why do boys like to rub sand on their penises? Just curious).

Parenting is such an endeavor, adventure and challenge.

This weekend I was reminded to lower my voice and not even bother to carry a stick unless it was to throw in the lake for Mishka to fetch. I recalled that I am understood and known. I saw a woman surrender herself to the water, floating in abandoned bliss as her offspring giggled and admired.

Then I waded out with the camera to capture her and hug her.

Our world holds uncertainty and pain, sadness and obligations, loss and gain. But for these days I have sat in my world, surrounded and supported. And remembered we all grow up, take on new roles, rehash old ones, scheme about new ones. Discuss moving to a farm in Canada to live cooperatively.


Sometimes this world delivers. Delivers big time. Not with a slap in the face but with a smile, an embrace, a quiet moment with a baby girl singing with me on the shore, two boys exhausted in deep sleep taking up the better part of a California King size mattress.


Not a romantic vacation getaway. No rest, No quiet. But bliss. Oh yes. Bliss.

Addendum :: I did get a game of pool in after all...last night there, beer in hand, playing against my husband. Made me feel like a school girl. I love pool.

To Calibrate

Defined as:
1. to determine, check, or rectify the graduation of (any instrument giving quantitative measurements).

4. to plan or devise (something) carefully so as to have a precise use, application, appeal, etc.: a sales strategy calibrated to rich investors.


I like this word and this definition. It describes much of our life these days, the approach we have taken as things are shifting and changing, sometimes more rapidly than we anticipated. I was right a few posts back when I wrote that this new year would bring great changes to our family. The first was the shift in care giving, the change that brought Tim into our daily lives. And from there things have just kept shifting, all in a really positive way. Well, when I look at it it seems positive.

Last night I watched a special on TV, it featured Michael J Fox and his eternally optimistic approach to life. It was moving in its own way but a few things really struck me. There was a part when he explained that there might actually be a gene that codes for optimism, that some just have it. I turned to Tim and told him I know I have that gene. I just know it. It is not a Pollyanna thing, it is an intrinsic part of the way I see the world. And I really hope I passed it on to the littles because they are going to need it in the years to come. The second thing I know after viewing it that we will someday travel to Bhutan, the country that measures their worth in Gross National Happiness rather than Gross National Product. The country that does not put the 'pursuit of happiness' in a declaration and not mean it. It was a fascinating glimpse into a world where things were situated as they should be....not as we wished they were. And in some odd way, I know we will go there.

Our days are calibrated now to give us the most out of them, on Daddy days that can include long park trips with Bombits balls utilized in various ways.


And then harvesting lady bugs to bring home to the backyard vegetable garden.
And then lunch, Daddy style.

Mama days sometimes require after nap hugs and kisses, especially as it seems on Mama days the boys wake up just a little bit grumpy from that afternoon rest.


And sometimes on Mama days it happens that a little bit of mischief occurs involving a big tub of lotion, some hysterical laughter and Mama and Daddy's big bed. The hysterical laughter was the dead giveaway on that occasion.


The show last night reinforced some beliefs that I have always held. That we need to bond together and support each other to be strong. We need to accept challenges with the grace we can muster. We need to believe in Hope and foster it gently and thoroughly in every action, decision and movement. We need to respect Life as it comes to us but also take the steps to meet it head on.

This is totally paraphrasing Fox last night but at one point he stated the only non-negotiable part of his life was the Parkinson's disease. Everything else was his choice and in his power to change. And so after a week of missed unemployment checks and delicate balancing of accounts, of long days helping people through their own process of disease and the struggle that brings, of re-calibrating to include all the important things in our lives like train rides and tickets to a very special concert.....

We receive news that we have waited on with bated breathe. News of opportunity and security, of Union positions with growth and support. It may be a few months before it works out but now we know it will. You see? There really is something to having the optimistic view. Here is the most optimistic thing I know.


US.

Weekends are for...

Sewing (for Me) :: Adjusting the dress, trying it on, testing the fit.

Feeling good about the current results. I was a little apprehensive when the elastic thread would not gather at the waist, instead I ran a few threads for gathering. I love the green fabric but may not have enough to make the Obi sash, my original plan was to use the shockingly pretty pink Heather Ross fabric, small conundrum.

Any opinions?

Sewing (for them) :: We finally found a hat style they like and we only have the one in a cute Hawaiian print. I did a thorough examination of the current fave and sketched off a pattern and tried it out today.

I have been hoarding all my Heather Ross fabric for too long, it feels good to finally use it. It was a great nap time activity, not too much sewing, and when they woke up I had something to show for the time.

Owen immediately adopted it, refusing to even let Mace try it on for fit. He wore it from 3 p.m. until bath time.

I have never been so flattered in my life.


Knitting (for her) :: The sweet simple idea for a faerie dress has come together, the bodice is knit and I have too many yards of tulle floating around.

I love the fluffy stuff, so diametrically opposite from anything I have ever created for the boys.

Gathering :: Some blooms from the rose bush. Unbelievable, the fragrance that these huge flowers give off. Almost intoxicating.

I have spent many minutes of the last few days with my nose buried in them.

Organizing :: I inundated my craft library in the last few weeks and was feeling very very overwhelmed by all the ideas and possibilities and wonderful patterns and plans. I felt so paralyzed that I needed to take it all out, find the books new homes and open up a little more space for fabric and breathing.

The result is something new and nice, a bookshelf in our home reclaimed from toys, a corner space just slightly reinvented.

It seemed to work, as evidenced by the projects flowing. Spring cleaning has come to my crafting...but not to the whole home. That might have to wait until next weekend.

Reading :: Want to see the new books? I warn you, you might not want to place a huge Amazon order for all of them at the same time.

* Alabama Stitch Book
* Weekend Sewing
* Aranzi Cute Stuff
* Seams to Me
* Stitched In Time

Whew.

The rest of this new week holds coaxing little veggies to grow big and strong in their new homes.

Making another sun hat out of orange doggie fabric. Finding more moments to participate in this new place I have found, a much better healthier social network than FB. Practice egg hunts with the boys. Following up with my 30 Days project for the boys. Deciding what to knit next now that my needles are empty (but my mind so full).

How is your week shaping up?