our afternoon

Jesse and I had a busy afternoon together.  I picked him up from school at noon, visited Herrle's for the last time this year, spent an hour at the library and in between buying produce and looking at books, we made a quick trip to Starbucks.  He was asking for something to drink and I was in the mood for a Chai Latte.  As we waited for our drinks, two young musicians were setting up a small stage in the corner of the coffee shop.  As we sipped, we listened to two exceptionally talented teenagers.

As we listened, this musician's promoter gave us his business card.

But soon Jesse found the music a bit loud and was ready to move on.  Thankfully free hot chocolate and cookies kept him sitting until both their sets were over.

love letters

The one thing that we are enjoying at our rental home is the wood burning fireplace.  Being away from our real home has been tough but this fireplace will make the winter much more enjoyable.  We've roasted marshmallows, hot dogs and set off the smoke detectors many times.  Last night as the fire burned, the kids decided to write love letters on pieces of wood.  Then they threw them in the fire and watched as their wonderful words burned and went up the chimney out of our home.  Totally their initiative - love it!

46 years

46 years ago my parents were married.  After meeting on a blind date, my dad spent 3 hours on weekends to drive south and visit his new love.  Once married, my mom left her community of friends and family to move to a new city.  This is where they built their lives.  One apartment, two homes, 3 children, 6 grandchildren (soon be 7), a long and dedicated teaching career for my dad, years spent at home with children then a return to work at the University of Waterloo for my mom, decades of work at church, many volunteer hours at our local thrift store, then finally a time to slow down and find each other again.  Retirement brought the opportunity to travel.  Many cruises and travel to Europe allowed them to slow down, visit beautiful places and connect with cousins.  All these new experiences were done together.  Side by side.

Their dedication to one another has never wavered.  Ten years of living with cancer has proven that they need each other and have always been there for one another.  Living and coping with cancer for this many years brings out the best and worst in each of us.  With the highs and lows of good and poor prognoses, my parents know this best.  But their devotion continues.

This place where my parents stand is a special reminder of how each of their lives began.  The tree that shades my parents was brought over from the Ukraine.  Just as the tree travelled across the ocean, my parents also travelled as young children from the Ukraine and were planted here on Canadian soil.  Together they have created so much beauty and joy.  They protected and nurtured me.  I hope to pass this on to my 3 children.

We are now approaching a new season.  One that is darker.  One that nobody wants to face.  As we prepare for this change as a family, we will all draw strength from my parents' love.  We will try our best to hold our arms around them and give them the strength they have given us so many times.  Mom and Dad - you have shown me so many lessons of love and I am so happy that these pictures will now be with me to always be a reminder of how you have lived out your marriage.  With true devotion and love.

thanksgiving

It felt like summer's return this weekend.  We soaked up the warm rays with hours spent outside with family, playing, celebrating birthdays, preparing and eating food together.  Here is how we gave thanks.  Saturday... 

Sunday...

 Jesse's homemade treat from Sunday School.  He was so amazing waiting to dive in until after a few pictures were taken.

 Then off to Grandma and Grandpa's house.

 Monday...to the Oktoberfest parade.

We are so thankful.

taking a breath

There doesn't seem to be much time for breathing these days.  As I have told many people who ask "How's it going", I explain that I don't know if I could fit anything else into my life these days.  It feels like every minute is planned and I go to bed not having done many things I had hoped to accomplish.  This feeling isn't completely new, but with so many different things on the go, I'm feeling swept away by the busyness.  

In the midst of coming home from music lessons, considering trim for our home, brainstorming marketing ideas for my photography business, pondering (for way too long) the hurt feelings brought upon by a fellow parent, considering what I could possibly feed my family for supper and hoping the polling line wouldn't be too long, we came across two hot air balloons preparing to take off in our local park.  With quick thinking, we pulled over and spent 25 minutes watching them prepare and ultimately fly over head into the blue, cloudless sky.   

It was so good to stop and just breathe.

front hall - before and after

The front of our house was the main entrance for our upstairs apartment.  It's been 7 years since we've had tenants and we never used this entrance.  We used it as storage for our Chariot bike carrier and a designated area for all our thrift store donations.  Looking down the hall, you can see right into the kitchen.  The bedrooms are on either side of the hall.

In the picture below, I'm standing in the kitchen, looking down this same hallway.

Now the white door is open to see right to the front door.

More shots from the hallway.  The entrance covered by the mirror was drywalled shut before we moved in. On the other side was our bedroom.

And then the demo.  A view from the kitchen down the hall.

A few hours later.

And from the front looking into the kitchen (with the missing stove.)

 The bottom picture will be the new location of our basement stairs.  They will be stacked under the main stairs.  The old location was off the kitchen where my new pantry will be.  (Yeah!  Storage!)

Bye bye Wall!