10th Month

At nine months, Elena had spent more time out in this world that inside me, but that didn't make me teary eyed then to think about.  This month however, she's spent half of her life in Bolivia and the other half in Canada.  That causes me to be emotional.  Has it been that long since we left?  Has so much happened in 5 months in her life?  Wow....

Well, it has been an eventful month for Elena.  She's gotten one more tooth, this time on the top, on the side.  Kind of weird.  You can see it in one of her pictures below.  The other one on the left side is coming in too, but no sign of the middle ones.  This could make for some interesting baby pictures!  Speaking of her mouth, she can click her tongue and she can roll her R's.  Can you believe that?  My MIL said that she thought she was purring with her lips, but no, it was her tongue.  That's my boliviana!

Elena went on her first road trip to Alberta and was enchanted by the flat flat of Saskatchewan.  She proved to be quite the traveller and only hollered after the 11th hour in her car seat.  Yes, she's a trooper.  She met some pretty special friends and her Great Grandma too.  Elena enjoyed a pool for the first time in Calgary as well. She's been in pools before, but wasn't happy about it.  She had her first encounter with snow and doesn't really have an opinion, but the snow suit isn't really her favourite piece of clothing.  Too restrictive and bulky!

She's also moved out of her making strange stage and now just stares intently at new people.  But if caught off guard she will scream and cry so hard it'll break your heart.  To make herself feel better, she shoves her two fingers in her mouth to sooth herself.  And she's definitely become more attached to her pink rag quilt blanket.  That thing works like magic when she's tired.

Not just in the teeth department has she grown.  Elena is about 19.5 pounds and is 28 inches tall.  And she's increased her menu to include yogurt, carrot curry soup, and majadito.

Elena has mastered climbing safely DOWN stairs, which is great since she figured out how to climb up 2 months ago.  She can also get up to standing from a squat and has held a free standing position for 5 seconds.  No steps across furniture yet, but that'll most likely change very quickly.  She also is getting really good at reaching across the table from her seat and grabbing her bowl.  It's like she's Go-Go-Gadget Arms or something.  She definitely responds to her name and loves to shake her head No-No.

Carl was saying that she's becoming a little person that really enjoys engaging with other people.  She loves to make eye contact and smile at you.  Elena isn't just a blob of an infant anymore, nor a self-propelling doll,  she's a person!  Her personality and character are starting to come out, and that's a cool thing to see.

Keep Swimmin'

Asha had her very first swimming lessons this fall.  Since she wasn't four yet before we left Bolivia, she was never old enough to take lessons at the pool where Joel and Kezia attended.  So this fall she was excited to start.   Each day of her week was described as, "the day before or the day after or 2/3/4/5 days from swimming lessons".  She's a real fish and doesn't have any fear of the water.  And for us, being surrounded by 10,000 lakes and ponds, gullies and very deep ditches, we see it as a necessity to learn to swim.  This round of sessions are done and so we'll see, maybe after Christmas we'll do more lessons or wait until summer, when lessons are every day.  Oh wow.  Can she handle that much fun?!

Date Nights

It's been a good couple of weeks with the frequency of my dating calendar and all the various people on it....."hmmmmm...", they all wonder.

I enjoyed a lovely date night a few weeks ago with Carl to see the movie, The Help.  I highly recommend it and the book is just as amazing.

Then a bit later, since Kezia was having a rough few days, I took her out for a date.  First we went on a school night (gasp!) to McD's (double gasp!!) to enjoy some pie and chatting.  Then three days later, we went to the city to get haircuts and I took her out for dinner.  Her choice: sushi.  "Because hamburger places are too greasy and can't be trusted".

And just a few days ago, I had the chance to take my firstborn out for a date.  Joel was pretty thrilled and his choice: McD's because his favourite food is the hamburger, regardless if it's greasy or uber greasy.  We managed to get in a little visiting in, even though the football game was on and he was a bit distracted.

So much is gained from dating your spouse and also dating your kids.  The calories, the conversation, the time....ah, so lovely and highly recommended.

And the Plot Thickens.....

So I've been feeling a bit frustrated in the last few days, to say the least.  My poor long suffering husband.....bless that man for being stable during my not!

This last weekend we had the blessed opportunity to speak at a church retreat.  My very good friend, An, invited us and we were really looking forward to it.  A chance to spend time with her family, but also her church family.    I ate really well, laughed so hard with people I just met, and was moved during the group singing.  And I even got a bit teary eyed when the handsome godly speaker shared :)

As we were leaving the retreat, someone gently hands Carl a cheque.  This fellow was moved by our story and wanted to support us in our transition.  Wow.  And then as we were driving, Carl teared up because he realized that the amount of the cheque was for the exact amount needed to pay for our van repair.

The next day I got a confusing statement from the government about our child tax benefits.  I think it said we were getting back pay or something, but I checked our on-line bank statement to verify what they were talking about.  There was a deposit that day for the exact amount we needed in order to pay the reminder of the roofing bill on our house.

*Eyes well up....huge lump forms*

We're trying to be faithful and patient, but it's hard.  So when God does something so amazing like this I realize that sometimes we need everything stripped away to see his working hand.  Sometimes we have to be willing to lay everything down for him and be left with empty hands.  Then he can fill them with blessings.  Blessings that don't look like what we anticipate and don't come at the time we hope for, but are perfectly and blessedly orchestrated.

"Test me in this", says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I won't throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it". Mal. 3:10

"Okay....And Scene", she yells

I'm getting a bit tired of playing in the "Transition Play".  I want this drama to end.  I'm getting a little weary of not knowing what my day will look like.  Will it be:

Carl working there
or
Carl working here
or
Me at home
or
Carl at home with the wee ones
or
Me working anywhere
or
Me at home with Carl and the wee ones

It's like some crazy lottery every morning.  I need structure and I need enough notice to prepare myself emotionally.  And some days I'm an emotional wreck because not only can I not plan my day I can't plan my week or even my month.  When is the job coming?  No one knows in this household.  ARG!

I'm learning a lesson in control, that's for sure.  So I guess I should get used to my lines, my role in this drama.  I'm not the script writer or the director because I'm not God.  I have no idea how long this play is running, but I should stop fussing and enjoy my lines.  Maybe there's some secondary plot I'm missing out on, some contrasting theme that is only obvious towards the end.

*But some days I'm going to just quietly wish the scene would just end*

Travelling

The last few weeks have felt a bit like we haven't been home much.  No time for us to sit around and get bored!  But what else is new, aren't we always on the go?  We decided to travel to Calgary to visit friends and relatives whom we hadn't seen since our return from Bolivia.  The day before we were to leave, I got a call to sub not only that day but the morning that we were planning to leave.  We decided it would be doable for me to work, as long as we were organized.

We left around 1:30 in the afternoon after I finished work and off we went!  The kids travelled marvellously and kept themselves occupied with books, listening to music, and watching a movie.  Even Elena didn't mind being in the car seat for such a long time.  She enjoyed some cuddle time when we stopped to get gas or go to the bathroom.  We even drove an hour further than we had planned.

The next day we arrived in Calgary at Tim and Danae's.  Oh, it was absolutely wonderful to see them and the girls and spend some time with them.  We caught up on all aspects of our lives, which was really good and of course emotional.  The kids all had a great time playing together and the time went by way too quickly.  It was special to see them in their "new" home (they had moved since we last saw them three years ago) and to have a small glimpse into their life.  It was hard to say goodbye, since it'll be a while until we see them again.  They are amazing people and we are so blessed to have them as friends.

After church it was off to see Dave and Kendra.  We had a tasty lunch and the conversation never paused for a moment. The kids played together so well while we visited. We shared about our lives and how the last few months have gone.  The hours passed too quickly and soon we had to dry our tears and say farewell.  Even though it was a small amount of time with Dave and Kendra, it was so rich.

Then we headed to my grandma's house.  She actually wasn't there because she was in the hospital (a little unexpected, but she was fine).  My dad flew out and my cousin and her boyfriend were also there.  A nice surprise to see my cousin Heather and Johnny, since we hadn't seen them since Kezia was a baby.

The next morning we headed off to visit my aunt and uncle.  Of course we were served an enormous amount of food and left with armfuls of gifts.  Comic books and a dolly and of course candy.  The kids really enjoyed themselves and we had a great time catching up with them.

Back into the van.....

I spent the afternoon at the hospital visiting my grandma, which was very special.  I don't think I have ever had 3 hours solid to visit with her by myself.  She is quite the amazing women.  We talked about life and journeying, God and prayer, houses and weather.  My dad came to pick me up from the hospital, but we were coming back later.  The nurses and the doctors said it was fine if the kids came to see her too.  Carl and I had thought we couldn't bring the kids and we were so disappointed.  She wouldn't be discharged until after we had to leave and Grandma hadn't met Elena yet, nor seen the other kids in over 3 years!

That evening, the kids came with their Bolivia photo books in hand and lots of hugs for Grandma.  We didn't stay a long while, but it was so special that she could see the kids.  Elena sat contentedly on her lap so Grandma could get to know her and talk to her.

Off back to her house for baths in the great big tub (sorry Grandma if there was water damage!) and then into pyjamas.  Carl and I were packing and did last minute stuff before heading to bed.  My dad was planning to stay until the following day when Grandma would be discharged, so it was nice he could send us off.

The trip back was going to be the whole way back...all 15 hours.  Ouch.  Carl and I were preparing ourselves for a nightmare trip, but because we had appointments on Wednesday, we couldn't break the trip into two days.  I guess the kids were super tired because the first half of the trip was pretty uneventful.  Most of the kids slept, some read books and Elena popped out her side top tooth.  Not the front, but the right lateral incisor.

The second half of the trip was filled with two movies, more books (then reading by flashlights), music sing-a-longs, more sandwiches and granola bars, about an hour of fussing (Elena, not Carl) and then snoring.  We made it home safely and the kids stumbled into their beds.  Whew!

It was a whirlwind trip and some may think we were a bit crazy, but it was definitely worth it.  It was life giving for us to be with our friends and be with them where they are at right now.  To spend time with Grandma and my aunt and uncle and then for our kids to have great lil' friends to get to know again.  We were reminded that in this transition stage in our life, we have quite a bit of freedom to go on a trip like this.  We were reminded that life is so so precious and to make every opportunity to cherish the ones around us.  And God definitely ministered to us as we sat in the presence of some pretty amazing people.  Even though there was no Ikea trip or Cheesecake factory gorge, it was probably one of the most memorable trips out west we have had.

And the New Name......

I must admit, it took a little while for us to figure out what kind of  new name the blog could have.  Thanks to those of you who gave name suggestions.  And no, we aren't changing the URL address, so you'll still find us here.

We had some good starts from your ideas.  Then Carl was being goofy and suggesting things that were outlandish, ridiculous, cheezy, and WAY too deep and out there (I didn't even get some of them!).  Finally we came up with a name that reflects where we are right now in our life journey, but I think also is descriptive of our life in the last 4 years.

I want to share a little story of a hard conversation that we had with one of our children a few weeks ago.  We were on our way back from a little road trip to visit Carl's brother and his family a couple of hours away.  As were almost home, in the dark with all the street lights aglow, Carl said that he thought one of the kids was crying.  We turned down the radio and asked if everyone was alright.  A small voice from the back, through his tears spoke up, "This isn't home, I want to go home.  This isn't our home".  Oh wow.  That hit me hard and my eyes filled up with tears.  How do I respond to that?  How do I assure him that this is our home now?  This place has slowly begun to feel more familiar, but I have to admit, it doesn't feel like home yet. At least I don't get lost in town anymore....

I don't know where home is sometimes.  When we go to the city, it's the most familiar place I can recall from my adult life.  But we don't live there, so it's not my home.  And there have been moments where I thought it would be much easier to get on an airplane and go back to Bolivia.  But that's not my home either. When I was reading the book, Third Culture Kid, it talked about how TCK's always try and return "home" only to find that it isn't.  They've changed, the place has changed, other people have moved on.  This constant desire to keep going, keep searching for a place to belong can lead to a nomadic life with no roots anywhere.  I can't imagine the energy expended, the disappointment, the hurt.  So I'm trying to embrace into my heart this idea that,

Home isn't home when it feels cozy like home, but home needs to where you are called.

Bloom where you are planted.  Be where you are called.  Live where He has you.

It may be only one place in your lifetime, or it may be a different place every 18 months for your entire life.  So we decided to call our blog,

Home is Here

With this idea in mind that wherever God has us, we are going to make our home.  When you stop by, you'll find stories about our life and how we are journeying along.  And if God calls us to be somewhere else in the future, we'll try and live in that place fully, like we did in all the other places we have been led to.

In some ways, it was less about choosing a new blog name and more about hearing God's re-assuring voice.  That through my tears and my ache that I am not home, He says to me that wherever you are Kathy, I am, and that makes it home.

Birthday Boys

This week my family celebrated the birthdays of Carl, my dad, and my brother.  In a matter of 23 days there are three birthdays in our family.  Imagine all the cake and ice cream if we didn't combine them?!

We had a lovely supper out and then went to my parents' place for absolutely delicious ice cream cake.  It's quite the wonderful thing to be close enough to celebrate significant birthdays with our family.  We have them, and our ice cream cake too!

View of School

I had someone send me a message via facebook asking me to talk a bit about the transition for the kids in regards to school.  I had been meaning to do that because the last time I posted about school was on their first day.  A lot has happened since then.

I had to chuckle at myself a few weeks ago because I had a similar experience here in Canada as I did in Bolivia.  I remember countless times receiving a notice in Spanish and wondering if I was reading it right, or what I was missing in translation.  I was so thankful for friends whom were more linguistically capable than I.

Well, I got a notice in the kids' agendas a few weeks ago and even though the note was in English, I obviously missed the whole meaning.  The note was to remind kids to bring a penny on Monday, a nickel on Tuesday, a dime on Wednesday etc. etc. for a fundraiser.  So I sent the kids one penny on Monday, one nickel on Tuesday....all the way up to one loonie on Friday.  Then the next week the kids informed me that it was to bring pennies on Monday, nickels on Tuesday and so on.  Well, if they wanted more than one, why would they print a penny.  They should have asked for pennies, plural!  And then to assume that everyone knows what a loonie is.  So I stopped for a second and wondered what some poor EAL parent did.

It's been 2 months since the school year has started and the kids are in the swing of things.  Both kids are reading a lot every day after school (they don't bring home homework assignments, just studying and reading).  They are really enjoying that.  Joel has also come home with inappropriate 8 year old kid versions of Happy Birthday and stories about his buddies that he's chumming with at recess.  It seems to us that he is asserting himself into the school life here.  He did have a rough week a few weeks ago and when we talked more, he told me that he missed his classmates, especially Cristian, very much.  He had a good cry and then it seemed that he was able to face school again.

Kezia is naturally more quiet and doesn't talk as much about school.  She hasn't brought home goofy rhymes from her classmates or stories at recess.  She talks a lot about what her teacher says and not much more.  So a little while ago it was confirmed what we had been wondering about.  Kezia is definitely feeling the culture shock.  She misses being known and understood.  She misses being the centre of things; the brown kid who was assumed to be Brazilian, spoke perfect Spanish AND English.  She misses her close relationships and the kisses and hugs she got whenever she greeted her teachers or friends (Joel mentioned this too that he misses all the huggin' and kissin').  She even said that life here could be a bit easier if she just looked like all her classmates; then she wouldn't be seen as different.  Oh, poor thing!

We've had good conversations over the last few weeks about the hardship of being new.  That people don't know you and sometimes it takes a big effort to share yourself with others.  I've told her that it's not that people dislike you, it's that they don't know who you are.  And even as adults we know that often it's much more comfortable to stay with your established friends than to venture out to new relationships.  I reminded her that she's very special and unique and that we need to give it time as well as energy to make friends.  So we are brainstorming ideas on how to make that a reality for her in school.

It's interesting because school here is so different.  I feel that as a parent.  Maybe because I send them on a bus and don't actually get to see them being greeted by their teacher.  Maybe because they are gone all day. Maybe because I see a few spelling tests, but other than that I don't see their daily assignments.  Maybe because even the notices in English can be confusing!  I'm getting used to all this newness and I'm not even attending.  I miss De la Sierra and the culture at that amazing little yellow school.  I can only imagine that it is even more for Joel and Kezia.

Well, we're in this all together, that's at least comforting.

Dressin' Up

Our kids started making a list of what they wanted to be for the Halloween costume parade at school weeks before the actual day.  Joel and Kezia wrote 19 ideas before we headed out to the thrift store to see what we could find.  It ended up that we found nothing that was on their list, but what we did encounter was even better for a great price!

Joel came home from school with his Spiderman costume over his puffy jacket, so he resembled some middle aged super hero!  Kezia was thrilled with her minnie mouse costume and Asha was glad to have a real princess costume where she looked like Rapunzel.  And of course, Elena had to sport Asha's baby costume from years ago.  Gosh, they all looked so cute, don't they?

Last Year of His 30's

Yes, it's true.  Carl is 39 and seems to be holding up alright.  It's traumatizing to be almost 40.  That's when everything seems to go....hearing, sight, comprehension, cool factor and fashion.  But Carl seems to be holding on to all of those things quite well and is the envy of the town.

Joel even said to him, "Hey Dad, it seems like your bald spot is clearing up!".  So we're thinking that the year is going to be a good one.  Like good wine, he gets better with each passing year.  We're very blessed to have Carl as our husband and dad.  We love him to the end of the earth and thank God for him every day.