Spec-tacular!
Last night I accompanied my two-year-old during his swimming lesson. Usually Ben takes the kids in the pool, but I was feeling a bit left out yesterday. I donned my bathing suit and we had great fun dunking and splashing.
The thing is, my eyesight is poor. I am pretty helpless without my glasses. Whenever I swim I am faced with one of two choices:
1. Go without my glasses and use echolocation to feel my way around.
2. Wear my glasses in the water and endure splashes and speckles on my lenses.
Last night I chose to wear my glasses. (It wouldn't be prudent to loose sight of my active toddler in an enormous pool of water!)
When I went to bed late in the evening, I was dismayed to find the arms of my glasses were faded and discoloured. I've worn various styles of funky plastic frames for a few years. Over time, the plastic tends to scratch and fade a bit. Unfortunately, I think the pool chemicals hastened the aging process. My trendy glasses looked gross.
I went to bed feeling disgruntled. My glasses are a necessary wardrobe accessory. I wear them all day, every day.
I woke up this morning with a brilliant plan. My plastic frames looked dry and gray. I decided to try rubbing Blistex lip balm into the plastic. Hey, it moistens my lips. Why not use it on my glasses?
Eureka! Success! My experiment actually worked. My frames look decent once again. Who knew lip balm had so many uses?
Next time I venture into the pool I definitely plan to wear my old, already-worn-out glasses.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
What's in a Name?
My husband downloaded a silly song from iTunes this week. It's called Istanbul (Not Constantinople) by the group They Might Be Giants.
The song has a line that goes: "Even Old New York was once New Amsterdam..."
My three-year-old son sang this song to me as he ate his lunch this afternoon. I was impressed that he knew most of the lyrics. I did chuckle, though, when he sang:
"Even Old New York was once New Hamsterland..."
My husband downloaded a silly song from iTunes this week. It's called Istanbul (Not Constantinople) by the group They Might Be Giants.
The song has a line that goes: "Even Old New York was once New Amsterdam..."
My three-year-old son sang this song to me as he ate his lunch this afternoon. I was impressed that he knew most of the lyrics. I did chuckle, though, when he sang:
"Even Old New York was once New Hamsterland..."
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Organic Panic
I made pot roast for supper tonight. When I put the meat in the oven this afternoon, I realized that I had no potatoes for our meal. "No worries," I thought, "My grocery order from Spuds is due to arrive today. Surely it'll be here before supper time."
Five o'clock rolled around. No groceries. I called Ben and asked him to pick up a few potatoes on his way home from work. (His office is only five minutes away.)
At a quarter past six my dear husband came waltzing through the door, potatoes in hand and a sheepish look on his face.
Our groceries finally arrived at seven.
(Sigh.)
I do like getting our fruits and vegetables delivered by Spuds. Over the past week we have eaten considerably more produce than usual. This can only be a good thing. We've been eating fresh, organic fruits and veggies. Our bodies are loving it!
I see at least two added advantages to buying my groceries through Spuds:
1. I only need to shop at Superstore once every two weeks, rather than every week. This gives me an extra night to work out at the gym (or do other stuff I enjoy).
2. One of my sons has some serious bowel issues. We removed dairy from his diet several months ago. The Spuds website has an entire section devoted to dairy-free products. (We have discovered that almond milk is quite tasty.) With the combination of his dairy-free diet and lots of fresh fruits and veggies, my little guy's bowels are at their best ever!
I just may become an organic-evangelist. (Orvangelist?) Nothing beats fresh and delicious, real food.
I made pot roast for supper tonight. When I put the meat in the oven this afternoon, I realized that I had no potatoes for our meal. "No worries," I thought, "My grocery order from Spuds is due to arrive today. Surely it'll be here before supper time."
Five o'clock rolled around. No groceries. I called Ben and asked him to pick up a few potatoes on his way home from work. (His office is only five minutes away.)
At a quarter past six my dear husband came waltzing through the door, potatoes in hand and a sheepish look on his face.
Our groceries finally arrived at seven.
(Sigh.)
I do like getting our fruits and vegetables delivered by Spuds. Over the past week we have eaten considerably more produce than usual. This can only be a good thing. We've been eating fresh, organic fruits and veggies. Our bodies are loving it!
I see at least two added advantages to buying my groceries through Spuds:
1. I only need to shop at Superstore once every two weeks, rather than every week. This gives me an extra night to work out at the gym (or do other stuff I enjoy).
2. One of my sons has some serious bowel issues. We removed dairy from his diet several months ago. The Spuds website has an entire section devoted to dairy-free products. (We have discovered that almond milk is quite tasty.) With the combination of his dairy-free diet and lots of fresh fruits and veggies, my little guy's bowels are at their best ever!
I just may become an organic-evangelist. (Orvangelist?) Nothing beats fresh and delicious, real food.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
The Hiding Place
This morning I was in a rush. I planned to take the kids on the bus to preschool gym at the Y.
We left the house in a flurry of coats, toques, mitts, boots, bags and kids ... all crammed into my faithful double stroller. We ran out the door and arrived at the bus stop just in the nick of time. My boys kept up a steady stream of dialogue throughout the entire trip. Who knew taking the bus could be such a fascinating experience?
After a quick dash to the library, a snack for Baby Girl and a trip to the babysitting room, the boys and I finally arrived at the gym doors. We were late. (Story of my life these days.) I volunteer to run preschool gym on Wednesday mornings, so I felt hot and flustered.
"Quick guys!" I said, "Take off your coats and boots so we can go in. We have to hurry!"
I unzipped my two-year-old's coat and tugged at his left boot. The boot was stuck. I gave his foot a good yank. A small, white piece of plastic went sailing through the air. It skidded along the polished tile floor and came to rest in front of the gym doors.
It was a Lego man.
My toddler had kept a Lego storm trooper carefully concealed in the bottom of his boot for the better part of an hour.
You know the lyrics to the old song "these boots were made for walkin'"? I suppose my son had a different purpose for his boots this morning. That little boy didn't do much walkin'. He sat back and enjoyed the scenery from his comfy, cozy stroller seat.
While the Lego man stayed toasty warm in his secret hiding place.
This morning I was in a rush. I planned to take the kids on the bus to preschool gym at the Y.
We left the house in a flurry of coats, toques, mitts, boots, bags and kids ... all crammed into my faithful double stroller. We ran out the door and arrived at the bus stop just in the nick of time. My boys kept up a steady stream of dialogue throughout the entire trip. Who knew taking the bus could be such a fascinating experience?
After a quick dash to the library, a snack for Baby Girl and a trip to the babysitting room, the boys and I finally arrived at the gym doors. We were late. (Story of my life these days.) I volunteer to run preschool gym on Wednesday mornings, so I felt hot and flustered.
"Quick guys!" I said, "Take off your coats and boots so we can go in. We have to hurry!"
I unzipped my two-year-old's coat and tugged at his left boot. The boot was stuck. I gave his foot a good yank. A small, white piece of plastic went sailing through the air. It skidded along the polished tile floor and came to rest in front of the gym doors.
It was a Lego man.
My toddler had kept a Lego storm trooper carefully concealed in the bottom of his boot for the better part of an hour.
You know the lyrics to the old song "these boots were made for walkin'"? I suppose my son had a different purpose for his boots this morning. That little boy didn't do much walkin'. He sat back and enjoyed the scenery from his comfy, cozy stroller seat.
While the Lego man stayed toasty warm in his secret hiding place.
I've Been Chastised
I received a stern lecture from my mother over the phone this evening.
"I was worried about you. Have you been sick?" she asked, "You didn't post anything on your blog yesterday."
"Gee, Mom. Cut me some slack! I only missed one day!"
"Have you decided to cut back on your writing or something, dear?"
No, I still plan to post on my blog at least once a day. I wish I had an imaginative excuse for missing yesterday's post --- something like this:
My kids ate too much blue food colouring yesterday and went berserk, pulled the chandelier off the ceiling, fell and bumped their heads, so we spent seventeen hours in emergency getting their noggins sutured, and Baby Girl received the most stitches of the lot because she's such a little monkey, and we had a rotten night because we didn't get home until after two in the morning ...
Here's the truth: My piano lesson went longer than normal last night I and got home late. I was too tired to boot up my computer before I fell into bed.
I'm sorry my life is not more exciting.
To make up for my lazy blogging habits, I spent a few minutes editing my previous post on Life of Pi. The writing felt too self-important and rough around the edges. I hope the new version sounds a little better.
I received a stern lecture from my mother over the phone this evening.
"I was worried about you. Have you been sick?" she asked, "You didn't post anything on your blog yesterday."
"Gee, Mom. Cut me some slack! I only missed one day!"
"Have you decided to cut back on your writing or something, dear?"
No, I still plan to post on my blog at least once a day. I wish I had an imaginative excuse for missing yesterday's post --- something like this:
My kids ate too much blue food colouring yesterday and went berserk, pulled the chandelier off the ceiling, fell and bumped their heads, so we spent seventeen hours in emergency getting their noggins sutured, and Baby Girl received the most stitches of the lot because she's such a little monkey, and we had a rotten night because we didn't get home until after two in the morning ...
Here's the truth: My piano lesson went longer than normal last night I and got home late. I was too tired to boot up my computer before I fell into bed.
I'm sorry my life is not more exciting.
To make up for my lazy blogging habits, I spent a few minutes editing my previous post on Life of Pi. The writing felt too self-important and rough around the edges. I hope the new version sounds a little better.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Book Review:Life of Pi
Yann Martel
I finished reading Life of Pi this weekend. For several days I have struggled with whether I should post a review on my blog. In good conscience, this is not a book I can freely recommend to Christian readers. At the same time, it is an absolutely brilliant work of fiction and fully deserving of the critical acclaim it has received.
Life of Pi chronicles the journey of a young castaway, Picine Molitor Patel. Pi is marooned in the middle of the Pacific --- stranded on a lifeboat in the company of a hyena, an orangutan, a zebra and a Bengal tiger. Against all odds, Pi survives his ordeal. Though the premise of the book seems completely unbelievable, the story is amazing because of its plausibility. Through intelligent narrative and attentive description Yann Martel skillfully weaves the details of the plot (but not necessarily in sequence).
Life of Pi is constructed of many layers. It is a book that begs to be discussed. This novel is perfect fodder for a book club or university class. I was grateful that Ben finished reading Pi a few days before I did. The book provided fuel for several engaging conversations (and debates) this weekend.
Unfortunately, Yann Martel's masterful story is tainted by several truly gruesome scenes. The first of these disturbing sections occurs about a third of the way into the story, shortly after Pi becomes shipwrecked. I had greatly enjoyed the novel up to this point, but I very nearly put the book away unfinished. I am not accustomed to exposing myself to such terrible imagery and it was a shock to my system. The most horrific scene comes at the end of the novel.
Savagery is one of the central threads of Pi. Can Pi Patel survive and yet resist becoming a savage? Does Pi retain his humanity? Is he any less an animal than Richard Parker? As much a I hate to admit, Life of Pi would not be as believable without its accounts of extreme depravity. Pi must journey to the outer limits of savagery in order to test his own humanity.
Life of Pi also explores themes of religion and a belief in God. Pi Patel longs for relationship with God, so much so that he resorts to worshiping multiple gods. Christ, Allah, Vishnu ... all are worthy of respect and adoration according to Pi. He hungers for redemption and divine connection. Where my Christian beliefs cause me to fill my spiritual hunger with faith in Christ, Pi turns to multiple religions and expressions of faith. Because he survives his horrific ordeal, it appears that Pi had exceptional divine protection. He believed in many gods and therefore kept all his bases covered. I do not agree with this presumption.
I am glad I read Life of Pi. I do believe that, as a Christian, I should not be afraid to engage popular culture. Pi is a brilliant piece of Canadian fiction, without question. When I choose to read such a book, I pray for discernment and the mind of Christ, guarding my heart and emotions. Life of Pi is not what I would consider "entertainment reading". It is not the type of novel I feel safe escaping into. However, it is an engaging story and worthy of careful thought and discussion.
Lego Kid
My son has been building space ships with Lego all morning. This is nothing unusual --- he loves Lego. He builds things all day long. Do you know what he's working on right now?
An original creation called THE BATTLE SNAIL.
Lego is awesome! It's not hard to guess what our imaginative son will be receiving from Daddy and Mommy this Christmas.
My son has been building space ships with Lego all morning. This is nothing unusual --- he loves Lego. He builds things all day long. Do you know what he's working on right now?
An original creation called THE BATTLE SNAIL.
Lego is awesome! It's not hard to guess what our imaginative son will be receiving from Daddy and Mommy this Christmas.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Movie Review:
Flushed Away
This evening my husband and I (attempted) to go out on a date. We made it about halfway through the movie before our babysitter called us home. To be honest, I wasn't terribly disappointed to leave the theatre. Flushed Away was not as good as I had expected. (The theatre manager was also kind enough to refund our tickets, so the night was not a total loss.)
I very much enjoy movies by Aardman Entertainment. I think Wallace and Gromit films are brilliant. The Curse of the Ware-Rabbit was a terrific movie. I enjoy British humour, and appreciate the artistic skill and dedication to detail displayed in Aardman's claymation pictures.
Flushed Away did not meet my expectations. Admittedly, I was not able to view the entire movie, and perhaps this fact coloured my perception of the film. At the same time, I believe Flushed Away had several factors working against it.
Flushed Away was jointly produced by Aardman Entertainment and Dreamworks Studios. I hate to say it, but I think the involvement of an American studio was not beneficial to the project. The humour of the movie held none of Aardman's characteristic British charm. The jokes were often crude and obvious. (Perhaps potty humour is unavoidable in a film titled Flushed Away?).
As well, Flushed Away is a CGI film. I believe Wallace and Gromit movies are appealing because of the human touch evident in claymation productions. The animation in Flushed Away is too polished, too American. Yes, the characters still possess round "Aardman eyes" and wide, expressive mouths. However, they lack the soft touchability of plasticine models. They are artificially generated, and therefore less believable.
All in all, Flushed Away was nothing special. It was not a movie I would like my children to see. I am glad the theatre refunded our money. At least we did not lose $20 in viewing a lack-lustre film.
Friday, November 10, 2006
Mmmmm ... Bacon
"When's Daddy coming home?" my son asked late this afternoon.
"Soon, Buddy," I replied, "He'll be home at supper time."
"What's he doing?" he asked.
"Well, he's working. Daddy's bringing home the bacon," I explained, "That's what Daddies do. They work hard to provide for their families."
"Oh ..." my son said as the light of understanding dawned, "So, are we having eggs for supper too?"
"When's Daddy coming home?" my son asked late this afternoon.
"Soon, Buddy," I replied, "He'll be home at supper time."
"What's he doing?" he asked.
"Well, he's working. Daddy's bringing home the bacon," I explained, "That's what Daddies do. They work hard to provide for their families."
"Oh ..." my son said as the light of understanding dawned, "So, are we having eggs for supper too?"
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Going Organic
I think I may have caught "organic fever". It seems that organics and natural products are the latest consumer fad. My local Superstore has even been redesigned to include an entirely new section for organic products.
I've been experimenting a bit over the past few weeks and our family has tried some new foods. Last week I bought organic chocolate animal cookies and shredded wheat cereal. (My boys thought both were very yummy!) I also purchased organic broccoli, grapes and tomatoes from the grocery store.
My greatest foray into the organic jungle arrived on my doorstep this afternoon. I placed an order with spud.ca. (S.P.U.D. stands for Small Potatoes Urban Delivery). I purchased a bin filled with fresh organic fruits and veggies. I also bought some special non-dairy products for my son and a tin of sinfully delicious organic dark hot chocolate. My entire order came to about $50. (Delivery is free on orders over $35).
The prices at spud.ca are slightly higher than at the grocery store for most things. However, you can't beat the convenience of having groceries delivered right to your door. I also like shopping from the comfort of my living room couch! I plan to give spud.ca a try for a few weeks. If I can have items like produce and milk delivered to my door, I might reduce my trips to Superstore to once every two or three weeks. I'm likely to save money by staying out of the store! I won't be tempted by impulse purchases.
I also like the idea of buying organic products --- especially fresh produce. I would like our kids to eat wholesome, nutritious, real food. I don't mind paying a bit more for quality, chemical-free produce. Maybe I'm biased, but the organic foods we've tried so far really do taste better!
I think I may have caught "organic fever". It seems that organics and natural products are the latest consumer fad. My local Superstore has even been redesigned to include an entirely new section for organic products.
I've been experimenting a bit over the past few weeks and our family has tried some new foods. Last week I bought organic chocolate animal cookies and shredded wheat cereal. (My boys thought both were very yummy!) I also purchased organic broccoli, grapes and tomatoes from the grocery store.
My greatest foray into the organic jungle arrived on my doorstep this afternoon. I placed an order with spud.ca. (S.P.U.D. stands for Small Potatoes Urban Delivery). I purchased a bin filled with fresh organic fruits and veggies. I also bought some special non-dairy products for my son and a tin of sinfully delicious organic dark hot chocolate. My entire order came to about $50. (Delivery is free on orders over $35).
The prices at spud.ca are slightly higher than at the grocery store for most things. However, you can't beat the convenience of having groceries delivered right to your door. I also like shopping from the comfort of my living room couch! I plan to give spud.ca a try for a few weeks. If I can have items like produce and milk delivered to my door, I might reduce my trips to Superstore to once every two or three weeks. I'm likely to save money by staying out of the store! I won't be tempted by impulse purchases.
I also like the idea of buying organic products --- especially fresh produce. I would like our kids to eat wholesome, nutritious, real food. I don't mind paying a bit more for quality, chemical-free produce. Maybe I'm biased, but the organic foods we've tried so far really do taste better!
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
PDA
Mommy and Daddy were feeling silly at the supper table --- lots of teasing, giggling and stolen kisses. Their young sons quietly ate and were entertained by their parents' antics. At one point, Daddy created a shield with his hands and gave Mommy a long kiss.
"Hey you guys!" the three-year-old exclaimed, "I know what you're doing. You're kissin' ... like mammals!"
Mommy and Daddy were feeling silly at the supper table --- lots of teasing, giggling and stolen kisses. Their young sons quietly ate and were entertained by their parents' antics. At one point, Daddy created a shield with his hands and gave Mommy a long kiss.
"Hey you guys!" the three-year-old exclaimed, "I know what you're doing. You're kissin' ... like mammals!"
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
The Sponge
My three-year-old son has a memory like an elephant. He loves reading books, "hacking" things (i.e. taking things apart to see how they work), and building space ships with Lego. This evening he had quite an extraordinary conversation with my husband ...
Preschooler: Daddy, you know Mars?
Daddy: You mean the planet?
Preschooler: Yes. It's a dead planet, you know.
Daddy: Yes it is. Nothing lives on Mars.
Preschooler: Yeah. And when a planet dies, is explodes into a tiny ball and becomes a dwarf star.
Daddy: Well, no, not exactly. When a star is dying it becomes a dwarf star.
Preschooler: But Daddy, Pluto is a dwarf planet.
Daddy: Oh, yes. That is true.
Preschooler: So, will Mars come back to life again?
Daddy: No, I don't think so.
Preschooler: Well, you know, Jesus came back to life again!
Daddy: Yes, but Jesus is not a planet ...
My three-year-old son has a memory like an elephant. He loves reading books, "hacking" things (i.e. taking things apart to see how they work), and building space ships with Lego. This evening he had quite an extraordinary conversation with my husband ...
Preschooler: Daddy, you know Mars?
Daddy: You mean the planet?
Preschooler: Yes. It's a dead planet, you know.
Daddy: Yes it is. Nothing lives on Mars.
Preschooler: Yeah. And when a planet dies, is explodes into a tiny ball and becomes a dwarf star.
Daddy: Well, no, not exactly. When a star is dying it becomes a dwarf star.
Preschooler: But Daddy, Pluto is a dwarf planet.
Daddy: Oh, yes. That is true.
Preschooler: So, will Mars come back to life again?
Daddy: No, I don't think so.
Preschooler: Well, you know, Jesus came back to life again!
Daddy: Yes, but Jesus is not a planet ...
Monday, November 06, 2006
Balding
I enjoy being pregnant. I've been blessed with three normal, easy pregnancies. (I also have three beautiful kids as a result!) One great benefit of being pregnant is that my hair grows strong, healthy and thick. I shed far less hair than usual.
Here's the problem ... a few months after Baby is born my long, lustrous hair starts to fall out. Heaps of it. Great big gobs of it. I find long, brown hairs everywhere --- clinging to my sweater, tangled in my zipper, wrapped around my baby's fingers, on my pillow, in my cereal. I don't even want to talk about my disgusting, hairy bathroom.
Last night my sister helped me give Baby Girl a bath. I stepped into the bathroom and reached for the faucet, intending to start the water. A scummy, cold puddle greeted me from the bottom of the tub. It was the water from my morning shower. The drain was completely clogged.
Ben pried the drain cover off with a screw driver, and I boldly reached inside the hole. My fingers met a slimy, tangled mass. Hair. Long, brown, soapy hair. I pulled more hair out from my drain than Ben has on his entire head. Small wonder the drain was clogged!
This morning I diligently cleaned the upper level of our home. As I vacuumed the hallway carpet I caught a whiff of something burning. It smelled hot, like electrical fire. I vacuumed for a few more seconds before I realized my vacuum was overheating.
I quickly flicked the off switch and pulled the plug from the wall. I flipped the vacuum over and examined its rotating brushes. I wondered if something had become tangled in the mechanism. I was shocked to discover hair --- great, long gobs of the stuff --- tangled all through the vacuum brushes.
At the rate my hair is falling out, I may be bald within a couple more weeks! I don't know if I can handle many more disgusting hair encounters. Oh well ... at least if I am balding, my husband will have some company.
I enjoy being pregnant. I've been blessed with three normal, easy pregnancies. (I also have three beautiful kids as a result!) One great benefit of being pregnant is that my hair grows strong, healthy and thick. I shed far less hair than usual.
Here's the problem ... a few months after Baby is born my long, lustrous hair starts to fall out. Heaps of it. Great big gobs of it. I find long, brown hairs everywhere --- clinging to my sweater, tangled in my zipper, wrapped around my baby's fingers, on my pillow, in my cereal. I don't even want to talk about my disgusting, hairy bathroom.
Last night my sister helped me give Baby Girl a bath. I stepped into the bathroom and reached for the faucet, intending to start the water. A scummy, cold puddle greeted me from the bottom of the tub. It was the water from my morning shower. The drain was completely clogged.
Ben pried the drain cover off with a screw driver, and I boldly reached inside the hole. My fingers met a slimy, tangled mass. Hair. Long, brown, soapy hair. I pulled more hair out from my drain than Ben has on his entire head. Small wonder the drain was clogged!
This morning I diligently cleaned the upper level of our home. As I vacuumed the hallway carpet I caught a whiff of something burning. It smelled hot, like electrical fire. I vacuumed for a few more seconds before I realized my vacuum was overheating.
I quickly flicked the off switch and pulled the plug from the wall. I flipped the vacuum over and examined its rotating brushes. I wondered if something had become tangled in the mechanism. I was shocked to discover hair --- great, long gobs of the stuff --- tangled all through the vacuum brushes.
At the rate my hair is falling out, I may be bald within a couple more weeks! I don't know if I can handle many more disgusting hair encounters. Oh well ... at least if I am balding, my husband will have some company.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
My Birthday Boy
This evening we celebrated our son's second birthday. We invited about a dozen family members over for a wild party! Our little guy was so excited about the festivities. He danced, played, ate lots of food, and was all-around adorable. I believe his favourite part of the party was blowing out the candles on his Bob the Builder birthday cake!
The birthday boy received an awesome concrete mixer from his godfather.
The boys look handsome in their party hats.
Baby Girl snuggles with her uncle.
Our two-year-old reads a birthday card with Daddy.
This evening we celebrated our son's second birthday. We invited about a dozen family members over for a wild party! Our little guy was so excited about the festivities. He danced, played, ate lots of food, and was all-around adorable. I believe his favourite part of the party was blowing out the candles on his Bob the Builder birthday cake!
The birthday boy received an awesome concrete mixer from his godfather.
The boys look handsome in their party hats.
Baby Girl snuggles with her uncle.
Our two-year-old reads a birthday card with Daddy.Saturday, November 04, 2006
Friday, November 03, 2006
"Soul Mates"
I have a decidedly unromantic statement to share: My husband and I are not soul mates. Fate did not decide that we were "meant to be". Our lives were not preordained to intertwine.
Don't get me wrong, Ben and I share a terrific marriage. We love one another fully and plan to stay married for a very long time. ('Til death do us part.) However, we talk about our relationship quite often and have concluded that we would each be equally satisfied being married to other people. Do you know why? It's because we've decided to make love a choice.
If Ben had gone to a different high school, or we had been different ages, or I had not moved to Calgary, chances are Ben and I would have not formed a relationship. We would have met other people, may have married different partners, had children and formed different families. Our lives could have taken divergent paths.
I am truly glad we did meet and were attracted to one another. But do you know what I am even more thankful for? I am grateful that Ben comes from a good family, he serves God, he's loving and caring, he enjoys being with children, and he takes the responsibility of providing for us seriously.
The thing is ... if I had met someone with the same character qualities as Ben, I think I could have been equally happy being married to that man. Why? Because I would choose to love him.
Yes, when Ben and I started dating as teenagers I was totally infatuated with him. We were "madly in love". The sight of him made my heart flip flop and turned my knees to jello. I though he was the cutest boy in the school. (And I know I wasn't the only one!) I could hardly wait to become his wife.
But the rush of first love does fade over time. Daily life begins to take over. A truly strong marriage isn't built upon the foundation of intense emotions. "Falling in love" is fun and pleasurable, but the feelings don't last forever. Hollywood would like us to believe that "love conquers all when two hearts are meant to be joined as one". (But we all know how long Hollywood marriages last...)
Ben and I have a solid, loving marriage because we try to put God first, we have compatible personalities, and we share common values and beliefs. Sure, it doesn't hurt that we are physically attracted to one another. Let's be honest, though --- I weigh twenty pounds more than I did on my wedding day, and Ben has a lot less hair! We choose to love one another despite our shortcomings.
Yes, I believe it was God's will that Ben and I marry. But God's will is not a mysterious thing. I believe the Lord presents us with many choices in life. It's just a matter of following the guidelines He's given us through in the Bible. It could have easily been God's will for me to marry another man instead.
But you know, I'm glad that the man I did marry is named Benjamin Inkster.
... and the sight of him still gives me butterflies in my stomach. :-)
I have a decidedly unromantic statement to share: My husband and I are not soul mates. Fate did not decide that we were "meant to be". Our lives were not preordained to intertwine.
Don't get me wrong, Ben and I share a terrific marriage. We love one another fully and plan to stay married for a very long time. ('Til death do us part.) However, we talk about our relationship quite often and have concluded that we would each be equally satisfied being married to other people. Do you know why? It's because we've decided to make love a choice.
If Ben had gone to a different high school, or we had been different ages, or I had not moved to Calgary, chances are Ben and I would have not formed a relationship. We would have met other people, may have married different partners, had children and formed different families. Our lives could have taken divergent paths.
I am truly glad we did meet and were attracted to one another. But do you know what I am even more thankful for? I am grateful that Ben comes from a good family, he serves God, he's loving and caring, he enjoys being with children, and he takes the responsibility of providing for us seriously.
The thing is ... if I had met someone with the same character qualities as Ben, I think I could have been equally happy being married to that man. Why? Because I would choose to love him.
Yes, when Ben and I started dating as teenagers I was totally infatuated with him. We were "madly in love". The sight of him made my heart flip flop and turned my knees to jello. I though he was the cutest boy in the school. (And I know I wasn't the only one!) I could hardly wait to become his wife.
But the rush of first love does fade over time. Daily life begins to take over. A truly strong marriage isn't built upon the foundation of intense emotions. "Falling in love" is fun and pleasurable, but the feelings don't last forever. Hollywood would like us to believe that "love conquers all when two hearts are meant to be joined as one". (But we all know how long Hollywood marriages last...)
Ben and I have a solid, loving marriage because we try to put God first, we have compatible personalities, and we share common values and beliefs. Sure, it doesn't hurt that we are physically attracted to one another. Let's be honest, though --- I weigh twenty pounds more than I did on my wedding day, and Ben has a lot less hair! We choose to love one another despite our shortcomings.
Yes, I believe it was God's will that Ben and I marry. But God's will is not a mysterious thing. I believe the Lord presents us with many choices in life. It's just a matter of following the guidelines He's given us through in the Bible. It could have easily been God's will for me to marry another man instead.
But you know, I'm glad that the man I did marry is named Benjamin Inkster.
... and the sight of him still gives me butterflies in my stomach. :-)
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Finished
It took a few hours, but I've finally finished applying category labels to all my archived posts. Hooray! Hopefully, the new labels will make it easier to search through my blog.
I like the labels because now I have a better understanding of where my areas of interest lie. My blog contains lots of posts on homemaking and parenting, but not many regarding travel or media & culture.
I'm completely set up on Bogger Beta now!
It took a few hours, but I've finally finished applying category labels to all my archived posts. Hooray! Hopefully, the new labels will make it easier to search through my blog.
I like the labels because now I have a better understanding of where my areas of interest lie. My blog contains lots of posts on homemaking and parenting, but not many regarding travel or media & culture.
I'm completely set up on Bogger Beta now!
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Birthday Boy!
Our little guy turned two years old today. He celebrated the day with a trip to the dentist, an extra-long nap in the afternoon, a roast beef dinner, and pumpkin cake complete with birthday candles. (I think the birthday candles were his favourite part of the whole day.) We have invited our extended family over for a big birthday bash on Sunday.
Our little man also enjoyed opening his presents after supper. He received a new outfit (pants and a shirt with trucks on it) and the Curious George DVD. He loves the movie. Ben and the children all snuggled together on the couch and watched part of it tonight. (I really enjoy the music on Curious George.)
I can hardly believe my baby boy is already two years old. Where has the time gone? Before I know it he'll be going off to school!
Our little guy turned two years old today. He celebrated the day with a trip to the dentist, an extra-long nap in the afternoon, a roast beef dinner, and pumpkin cake complete with birthday candles. (I think the birthday candles were his favourite part of the whole day.) We have invited our extended family over for a big birthday bash on Sunday.
Our little man also enjoyed opening his presents after supper. He received a new outfit (pants and a shirt with trucks on it) and the Curious George DVD. He loves the movie. Ben and the children all snuggled together on the couch and watched part of it tonight. (I really enjoy the music on Curious George.)
I can hardly believe my baby boy is already two years old. Where has the time gone? Before I know it he'll be going off to school!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)