I need some colour in my life today

Pucci is calling , drawing me in. Creative colour makes me happy. I need that today. Maybe I'll stop for a while at this store window. Mesmerizing. I feel its pull.

The Life of a Shoplifter as seen through the eyes of a Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Worker!

Finally, a shoplifter was caught in the act. I have watched many people shoplift from my post at the LCBO. While standing beside my Christmas Kettle, I have a great deal of time on my hands to observe those shoplifters and their various tactics. It was only a couple of weeks ago that the LCBO hired two security guards for the holiday rush at the store where I ring my bell!! Today, shoplifters are extremely bold and are not put off by the security guards. They will even drop change in my kettle and say Merry Christmas as they walk out of the store, bottles clanging under their coat!! Alas, one was stopped in his tracks last night. Lesson learned. Shoplifter no more. Changing the act of shoplifting one at a time. I will keep on ringing my bell for the Christmas Kettle Campaign and will continue to smile in the face of every shoplifter!

Gravity

I'll blame it on gravity. Leaning over the desk to say hello to "C" (another autistic student of mine) I suddenly realized drool was cascading from my mouth onto the floor. Looking up at "C" I said, without really expecting him to understand, "oops, I just drooled!" He stopped what he was doing, looked me in the eye with his charming smile, took his finger and wiped the remains of the drool from the corner of my mouth, then went back to what he was doing!!! I couldn't believe he showed care in this way! He has us fooled! He knows more than he is letting on! Actually, I have discovered his abilities are great. The key is trying to break his cycle of laziness and show him how his abilities can empower his life! We are making progress. Baby steps.

A Not so Good Blast from the Past- Part 2

I found this pic of me waitressing at MBC, December 1991. Here is one of the infamous aprons I loved so much!!:)

Only in Canada, eh!

I was working today for the Salvation Army's Christmas Kettle Campaign up at the LCBO. The benefit of this post for me is to be able to people watch! ( no, it is not the discount off the wine!!:)) I LOVE people watching! Many observations and conclusions can be drawn about the life people lead.

Today the cutest little boy slowly and carefully walked in holding tightly, with both hands, to a large Tim Horton's coffee. No parent was in sight. He smiled up at me and then continued walking into the store. Finally, his father emerged carrying his baby sister - with no shoes on! I overheard their conversation which went something like this:

Father: " Please give me my coffee."
Son proceeds to take a drink.
Father: " No, don't drink that...it's my coffee."
Father still struggling to put baby in the cart.
Son proceeds to take another drink of dad's coffee.
Father: "No, don't drink that again...please give me my coffee now."
Son: "But we are supposed to share with others."
Father: "Yes, but that is Daddy's coffee...please give it to me."
Son finally gives dad his Tim Horton's double double and climbs into the cart with his baby sister.
Dad takes a sip, smiled and says, "mmmm."

Only in Canada!!:)

"still life" art class gone bad

Imagine my horror when I walked into my “still life” art class and saw a 70 year old naked lady, blessed with flaccid, triple E -sized breasts and long, flowing, straggly, gray hair, standing on a raised platform in the middle of the room.

A small group of budding artists had already assembled their easels eager to start. Still confused as I was instructed to walk over to the cupboard and take out an easel, I decided I better find the teacher and make sure I was in the right class. Sure enough my name was at the bottom of the class list marked, “paid in full.” My teacher looked up at me, smiled and said, “welcome to the life drawing class.” “Life drawing,” I inquired, “not still life?” At that moment I knew I was in for an experience like no other!

Eventually, I was able to look past the naked model called Ellen and focus on honing my drawing skills. This was the first drawing class I had ever taken, so my teacher was patient with me and offered some excellent pointers. One of which was extremely helpful: “draw what you see not what you think you see.” I found my fellow artists, especially the Orlando Bloom look-a-like, supportive and encouraging. I was thoroughly enjoying the class until..... week three.

Model Ellen was gone and replaced by model David, not to be confused with Michaelangelo’s David. He horrified me more than model Ellen. It was model David’s first gig as a life drawing model, so he was nervous. I guess I should have been less critical of him. In preparation, he had greased his entire toned, naked body and made certain his muscles were armed and dangerous. He carried a whip in his hands. I guess he thought he was modeling for a Hugh Hefner spread, not the life drawing class at the R.S. McLaughlin Art Gallery. Since I was able to look past model Ellen’s nakedness I figured it would be the same for model David. Why was the front of him always pointing in my direction – no pun intended? Unfortunately, I never got used to model David. Maybe, if he didn’t try to hit on me after each class. The Orlando Bloom look-a-like artist rescued me one evening from model David’s advances. Grateful I pondered, “why can’t he be our model?”

In spite of everything, I was proud of the work I accomplished and resolved to definitely sign up for another “still life” art class in the future.




Model Ellen and Model David

A "Yarn" About One of My Favourite Students who has Autism

"From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise...O Lord you have searched me and you know me...you perceive my thoughts from afar...before a word is on my tongue you know it completely O Lord...for you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb...my frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth...your eyes saw my unformed body...I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." (Psalm 8:2; Psalm 139: 1-16)


Yesterday at school as my sweet "D" climbed onto my lap to sing her favourite Sunday School song (" I may never march in the infantry, ride in the cavalry, shoot the artillery, I may never fly o'er the enemy, but I'm in the Lord's army, yes sir...." -- it's a good thing I know the song from my Sunday School days!! She likes it when I bounce her on my lap for the "ride in the cavalry" part!), I couldn't help but wonder how her little mind works. She loves to play with these coloured ,connecting blocks and will group them ALWAYS in four- never more, never less - always alternating only TWO colours. She loves to take hold of our hands and look at our bulging veins. She always takes off both shoes and her right sock - almost always leaves the left sock on - then rolls up the pant leg on her right side. She loves to write the colours of the Crayola crayons on paper, then outline each word in the colour she just wrote. She especially loves to write "burgundy" and "magenta." When she gets to the blue -green Crayola, she always writes the word, "fiz." She groups her Crayola crayons in a certain order - not by colours. Even though I don't understand her little idiosyncrasies, God does. He created her inmost being...He knows her thoughts from afar...before a word comes out of her lips, He knows it. He knows her. She makes sense to Him. I believe God created the "special ones" in this world to teach us how to live. Even in that moment when my sweet "D" climbed down from my lap and gently told me to "F-Off" :)

Simplify Life

Innocence Lost?

I was sorting through some boxes in the attic when I found this old card my best friend sent me for Christmas 1984. I paused for a few moments, gazing at the cover before I opened it. Ahh the memories that flooded my soul!! I was madly in love with the cover model and made sure he was pasted on my bedroom wall, so I could look at him when I went to sleep at night and when I awoke in the morning! Finally, in anticipation, I opened the card. I laughed hysterically when I read it! We had no clue back in '84 the real meaning of this card! Shave just knew I loved blond -haired, blue -eyed guys and horses! She saw this card at the "It Store" and knew it would be the perfect Christmas gift for me . Finding it at the "It Store" should have given Shave a clue as to the implications of the card! I appreciated her thoughtfulness though! We were innocent teenagers back in '84. Thank God.
Teenagers today have lost the innocence we experienced. It makes me sad.

"Nose"y Relatives

One advantage of Facebook, for me, is being able to connect with my many fraternal cousins and their families who live all across Canada. Some cousins I haven't seen in years while other second and third cousins I have never met. Yet, I have observed we have one thing in common - The Drodge Nose! My Grandma Whalen was a Drodge and we have all inherited her nose! I like our Drodge nose! It is strong and solid, just like the heart of many in the Drodge/Whalen clan! We are survivors, by God's AMAZING Grace.

Another Happy Moment! Handel would be proud!

My sweet "D" ( my 7 year old autistic student) and I were singing together yesterday near the end of school. I was taking requests from her when she suddenly blurted out, "Hallelujah?" I wasn't sure if "D" meant it as an exclamation of praise or a song to be sung. I opted for the latter, so I asked her to sing it to me. She proceeded to sing the Hallelujah chorus from Handel's Messiah. I couldn't believe it! We have no idea what is in that little mind of hers but I'm so glad she has decided to let us in this year!!

Am I in Jr. High?

So, I was sitting in the church hall the other day waiting for a missions presentation to begin. I quickly said hello to the girl sitting beside me when suddenly I felt this hand hitting my knee. As I turned to the source of the hit, I was greeted by a scowl and a "shhhhoush." This source was a stranger to me - a much younger stranger I might add. I could not believe this guy hit my knee and told me to be quiet. The girl sitting beside me was in shock too. I felt like I was back in Jr. High. The nerve of this guy to not only touch me, a stranger, but to tell me to be quiet when the presentation hadn't even started. But, I said nothing. Maybe I should have.

Facing my fears of failure and rejection

Inspired this week by a book I am reading, "No Opportunity Wasted" (by Phil Keoghan host of The Amazing Race) , I dived face first into my ocean of fear in order to rise high above the waves of failure and rejection. I am caught in the strong undertow. But, I am a fighter. I am tired. I am hurt. I want to give up. But, I am a fighter. By God's Grace. I see a glimmer of light at the surface. I can make it. By God's Strength. How will I respond once I reach the surface? That is the question. To be or not to be. Trying out for a minuscule solo part for a church musical may seem like a trivial way to conquer my fear of failure and rejection, but not for me. It's more complicated than it sounds and it's not the only time I have been turned down for a part in a church musical. I knew what the outcome would be before I dived in. However, I decided to tackle this opportunity as a "NOW" moment. I worked hard. So here I am . Caught in the undertow. But, I am a fighter. By God's Wisdom, Love and Peace. I will rise above those waves. I will be okay. Lessons learned. Conqueror. Ready to fight the battle all over again.

Case of the Missing Sock

How can one lose socks in the wash? It's a mystery. Two go in. One comes out. Any clues?

Happiest Moment of the Day

Summer Reading. Early morning snuggle into the lazyboy with a hot cup of coffee. Early afternoon recline in the deck chair at the beach. Cherishing the solitude. Reading. "Eat, Pray, Love, " one book from my summer reading list. One lesson learned. Look for the " happiest moment " of each day and write it down. Haven't mastered the writing down part yet but am intentional in my search to daily find the "happiest moment. " The same students that usually bring out my impatience seem to be part of my happy moments! Here are a few of the "Happiest Moments "of my week:


....watching sweet D. ( an autistic girl) fly through the air on the swing, head tilted back with a big smile on her face and not a care in the world
....having sweet D. ask me to sing the old classic Sunday School song, " I may never march in infantry...." but stopping me mid song to take my gloves off so she can hear me clap
....watching C.'s ( an autistic boy) grade 8 male classmates play, "Round and round the garden" on C's hand because they know he loves that
.....watching C. at the grade 6-8 dance...he was sooo happy
.....watching my dear S., (who I rarely get to see anymore) at the same dance interacting with her peers...wow can she ever dance and wow has she ever developed into a beautiful young lady
....answering question after question with C.'s grade 8 classmates about autism and why C. does certain things
....having C. snuggle into my chest unexpectedly, wanting me to hug him
....being out in the cool fresh air enjoying the sunshine

A "not so good" Blast from the Past

One of my favourite summer memories was going up to my trailer at MBC , located just outside Huntsville. I couldn't wait for the day when I was old enough to work on staff. That day came the summer of 1984. I was so excited to be waitressing (and secretly excited to be able to finally get to wear the different coloured aprons the waitresses wore each day!!! ) The summer of '84 turned out to be a crazy summer....... A little boy from the camp got lost for a couple of days in the woods... I almost got fired for playing a silly, innocent prank in the room of 3 guys from my church who came up to MBC to help find the missing boy!!!:)...a cottage family was involved in a fatal car accident that left the mother dead ..BUT, the most vivid memory for me was hearing my friend's mother was murdered. They had a cottage at MBC. I will never forget seeing my friend's father in the HUB ( cafe) about a week after his wife was murdered. I remember feeling so sad and so sorry for this man and his family. I was also surprised to see him at MBC so soon after the murder. There was good reason for my gut instinct...Two weeks after my "sighting" , this man was charged and eventually convicted of hiring a hit man to kill his wife. We were all in shock. How could this outwardly respectable churchgoer - a supposed Christian - do something so tragic? A myriad of thoughts and questions filled my mind that summer -with not many answers. I followed the story over the years. This man was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife after a 68-day trial filled with lurid testimony that exposed a life no one would have expected from this MBC cottager. Why do I share this story with you? This man died yesterday in prison. I was surprised when I read it in the paper today. I have often wondered how his children have coped over the years - basically left as orphans. I hope they have been able to make it through the other side with grace, strength, love, forgiveness and faith. Rest in peace.

Collage of Fall 2007!

The Tale of the Newfie Peppermint Nobs

The suspense has probably"bored you to tears!"

Among the many fond memories I have of my paternal grandma, enjoying the succulent, sweet taste of peppermint nobs with her is my favourite! Grandma Elsie always kept a stash of peppermint nobs ( and gingerale) handy for her grandchildren when we came to visit. These unique candies were hard to come by where I grew up, although at times you could find them at the local Newfie store for an outrageous sum of money (and stale). So, I was excited at the prospect of being able to stock up on peppermint nobs when I travelled to "the Rock" for Grandma Elsie's funeral. I know that statement may sound strange but Grandma was 97 years old and lived a great life. We were there to celebrate !

And celebrate we did! Before the funeral, my dad took me into her room at the Nursing Home so I could say good -bye. Much to my surprise, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of her crystal candy jar resting on the window ledge - yes, it was filled with peppermint nobs, waiting to be eaten by her grandchildren! Even in the last days of her illness, she made sure her candy jar was filled with our favourite candy! How could I resist from dipping my hand into the candy jar, carefully taking out a nob in order to suck it slowly in memory of Grandma Elsie! What a sweet moment!!

One afternoon I had some free time so I walked to the local supermarket in order to purchase an assortment of Purity Peppermint Nobs! As my peppermint nobs waited patiently on the conveyor belt for the young cashier to ring them through, and before I even uttered a word from my mouth, this friendly cashier asked me in her broad Newfie accent, "are you from the Mainland?" Do you suppose the truckload of Purity Peppermint Nobs resting on the conveyor belt was a dead give away!!! "Yes, " I said. She then asked if I was up for Elsie Whalen's funeral. Wow...she is good!!! As I walked away, I suspected this young cashier had visited Grandma Elsie too and enjoyed a few peppermint nobs!

Peppermint Knobs and other Purity Candy

It is late and I must get to bed, but wanted to remind myselt to tell the story of my experience in Newfoundland when I bought peppermint knobs at the grocery store! Later....don't let the suspense kill you!!!:)

What is wrong with this picture?

I was at Lakeridge Health Oshawa Hospital today and was perflexed by the community of smokers ,who are current patients, gathered outside the front entrance. Due to the smoking bylaw, these smokers have to indulge their habit so many feet away from the front entrance. ( I forget the correct number of feet) It is an odd sight to see patients hooked up to IV's, dressed in their hospital gowns with the open backs and slippers, barely managing to stand( thank goodness they had their IV pole to hang on to!!) on the median in the middle of the road, smoking. Other patients in wheelchairs manage to climb up the curb to this new "designated" smoking area. What is wrong with this picture? !!:) I am so thankful I am not addicted to smoking - only coffee!! ( although I am slowly weaning myself off the black stuff!!)

A Day Fishing with my Dad!

Dad and all the fishing gear.
Stringing the line and putting on the fly hook.... The fly...
That's me fly fishing! Not bad technique eh?!
Dad waiting in the bullrushes for the trout to come!
(for more fishing photos and our catch, check out my web album at: www.picasaweb.google.com/swile67)



"Trout'in" is a tradition that begins at a young age down on the "Rock!" My dad has vivid memories when he was 5 or 6 years old of his father asking him to go "trout'in" to the pond, not the ocean ( they lived on a bay on the Atlantic ocean), in the early morning in order to catch fish for breakfast! Still "trout'in" at 74 years old, dad took me out to the Linwood Trout Farm for the Civic Holiday! I haven't fished in ages so it was a fun day to spend with my dad! We came home with a generous "catch" that dad cleaned, filleted and cooked up for supper , instead of for breakfast!

Hubcap prank gone wrong!

I have recently been in touch again with an old friend back in Edmonton who reminded me of a story I had completely erased from my memory!!! I have no idea how I could have forgotten but as she points out it must be my "old age!" I had a good chuckle! She says it best, so here is her story:

"The HUBCAPS - I can't believe you forgot (actually I can believe it - with your age and all!). One of the first dates Jody [ her husband] and I went on was to a hockey game (which you were also at). [ an Edmonton Oilers home game] Anyways, after the game we saw your car and thought we'd have a little fun with you - so we stole your hubcaps. Only thing was - you didn't notice - so Jody finally asked you at work what happened to your hubcaps - cause they were missing off your car. (the joke kind of back fired - but it was still pretty funny)."

Thank you Elaine and Jody for the trip down memory lane! I miss that car!:) You should see my hubcaps now!!:)

Matriarch

June 29, 1957, Toronto, ON.

Part of the Joseph Whalen family at Wyman and Mabel Whalen's ( my parents) wedding...

Back l to r: George, Wyman ( my dad ), Grandma Elsie, Grandpa Joe, Selina, Jethro
Front l to r: John, Edna, Irene
Missing: Marjorie, Ray

My dad was from a family of 9 siblings and his oldest sibling, Selina (and her husband Walt Russell), had 12 children of their own! Thus, my extended family is huge. In fact, at my Grandma's funeral on July 18, 2003, a census was taken and concluded she had 34 grandchildren; 69 great grandchildren and 7 great great grandchildren. Those numbers have increased!
On Saturday, my dad and I ( mom was away in Ottawa visiting her cousin) had the privilege of attending Aunt Selina's family reunion. Pictures and a brief description follow in the next few blog posts. The complete picture album can be found on my web album ( www.picasaweb.google.com/swile67) .
Being with aunt Selina made me miss my grandma Whalen! I always enjoyed visiting grandma and getting the update on the latest additions to our family. There was always a new picture to be viewed and a new story to be shared. ( and peppermint knobs to be eaten:)) Grandma Whalen knew ALL the names and ALL the birthdays of her grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great children. She rarely looked at her book where she recorded those details! I was always amazed at her memory! I was thankful for the time I could spend with her and could listen for hours to the family stories she devulged. My aunt Selina is the same - she is now passing down the same tradition for her large, wonderful family! What a blessing! I am so glad I can turn to my aunt Selina when I have questions about my family history that dad either forgets or doesn't know the answer! Enjoy the reunion recap.....

Jigg's Dinner at the Selina ( Whalen) Russell Family Reunion!

It was a thrill to attend the Russell Family Reunion on Saturday! I was able to visit with cousins I haven't seen in ages and also meet cousins ( well technically second and third cousins) for the first time! There were approximately 76 people in attendance - all from one family!! At any Newfie gathering, you will always find great food, great fellowhip, great music and great fun!! The Russell family reunion was no exception!! We enjoyed an amazing Jigg's dinner ( a boiled one pot dinner of corned beef, cabbage, carrots, parsnips and dumplings with sides of pease pudding and figgy duff....we can't forget the peppermint knobs)! My aunt Selina has a wonderful family...what a gift! I know if my uncle Walt was still alive he would be so proud of his family! What a heritage!

Another wee cousin....Summer enjoying the festivities! Playing a traditional family reunion game, Ringo! I made it to the semi-finals with my partner, Raymond!
l to r: Julie, Tracy and Della enjoying poolside!
Linda and her grand-daughter, Bailey Joe, conversing!
Sheila with her grand-daughter Summer enjoying the pool! ( James and Robert are ready to make a splash!)

The feast...Jigg's Dinner... Dad with the cooks...
l to r: Ron, Dad, Gord, Jim

The pots boiling up the Jigg's Dinner...
Karen watching over the men cooking!! Walt and Dawn with their grandson Brady Russell...
More of Brady's cousin's...Connor eyeing Bailey Joe!

An odd experience for me today!

You know your parents are aging when:

They have no inhibitions about discussing the inner workings of their bowels with total strangers! In fact, it appears that it is a natural subject to discuss with strangers and they assume these strangers are comfortable discussing the subject at hand!!:) Excitement builds when they meet fellow "age - ers" who have the same bowel problems and can offer suggestions! I wonder what my friends and I will be discussing when we reach this "golden age!"

House Flip - 50 years later!

Before
(1957)
After
(2007)

Last Monday, my mom took me back to her old neighbourhood in Toronto - 225 Atlas Ave. I had been there many times before, but this time we were saddened at the state of her childhood home! This house needs to be "flipped" to restore it back to its former glory! Maybe one day when we take another trip down memory lane, we will be pleasantly surprised!

Shopping Expedition into the World of Teenagers

I was in Toronto for the weekend with three of my friends for our Girl's Weekend Away, celebrating friendship, sisterhood and 40th birthdays! We had many special moments, but I wanted to share about the above experience which opened my eyes to their world of raising teenagers in 2007! What parents , especially mothers, won't do for their children!! They had requests from their teenage girls to go to the Abercrombie and Fitch and Hollister stores in the Eaton's Centre and purchase something for them. As we entered the Ambercrombie and Fitch store, we were greeted by a half -naked male model - I guess it is their version of a "Walmart Greeter." I knew at that moment I was soon turning 40 because I was appalled at the exploitation! Yet, I realized it was clever marketing. I had a quick look around the crowded, cologne- infested (they spray cologne/perfume all over the store at regular intervals and the scent literally has you tasting it. For those of you that know I suffer from perfume allergies, I was not happy) store and quickly made my exit, satisfied I gained a bit more insight into why teenagers loved this store. While I waited a very long time for my friends to emerge, (they were standing in line for a very long time:)) I wanted to sneak a picture of this male model. As you see in the above photo, he was somewhat of a celebrity with the young girls! Finally, my friends emerged with their purchases knowing their girls would be ecstatic with their gifts. Ah, but our shopping expedition was not over -we had to venture over to the Hollister store, which looked very much like Abercrombie and Fitch store minus the live male model. I did venture into the store, but soon became claustrophobic and made a quick exit before I would hyperventilate from the strong scent!! About 45 minutes later, my friends emerged exasperated! What mothers won't do for their children! I am glad I was able to experience this shopping phenomenon with the "sista's" although I am still disturbed by the almost pornographic photos of women and men hanging in these stores geared for teenagers. What will be next?

We really do need "Dr. House!"

Mom and Dad's
50th Anniversary,
June 29, 2007



Mom and her brother Jim and family!Father's Day at Milestone's Restaurant.Sunday Best on the front porch!Dad's 74th birthday at Teddy's Restaurant...enjoying their famous strawberry pie!Facebook has almost taken over my life - well not quite- but enough that my blogging has lapsed. Now that I am off for the summer and have my parent's 50th wedding anniversary under my belt, I am trying to catch up on my correspondence. First, I should update those who are interested to know of my dad's prognosis. It still remains a mystery. All of the tests came back negative for all the afformentioned possible diseases! What a relief! Dad's family doctor felt it was an infection that was causing the swelling so he put him on an antibiotic IV for 10 days. The swelling went down considerably as well as the pain in his legs. We can conclude his family doctor was correct...it was some kind of infection. As of today, his legs are 99% better but still swell up if he is on them for extended periods of time. No one knows what caused this strange medical condition, but are grateful it is nothing serious and he is back to his normal self! I have a feeling "Dr. House" would have solved this mystery!:) Summer is here and I am looking forward to enjoying it to the fullest. I want to intentionally adopt the theme of a book I am currently reading, "No Opportunity Wasted." (by Phil Keogan of The Amazing Race fame. ) I look forward to sharing my stories here on my blog! Before I sign off for the night, I will leave you with a pictoral collage of my last month....you can view all my pics on my web album at: www.picasaweb.google.com/swile67! Enjoy!

Enough

Enough
Enough now
Surrender
Surrender to God
Breathe
Breathe deeply
Reach
Reach high
Live
Live right
Be
Be confident
Confident in who God created you to be
Groove
Groove to a different beat
Accept
Accept life
Go
Go do what you are meant to do
Now
Soar
Explore
Explore new heights
Stop
Stop comparing, complaining
Create
Create with what is inside you waiting to explode
Do
Do what you have always wanted
Regret
Regret nothing
Peace
God's peace be with you
Enough
Enough now.

(Written on October 6, 2004...one of my first attempts at writing a song. I don't have the music to this song yet. Funny enough, this song was inspired by the movie, "Love Actually." It was during a scene where this guy had been secretly in love with his best friend's fiance/wife. He finally declares his love, gets it off his chest and then walks away saying, in his English accent, " enough, enough now." He can finally get on with his life!)

Canadian Centennial Babies Special Year!

Surprise!
The birthday girl!
My special school chums! I met Michelle in kindergarten and Caroline in grade 7. I am so grateful we have remained friends for all of these years!
Michelle and her fiance JeffOur home and native land turns 140 years old on July 1st. How, you ask, do I know this piece of historical trivia? No, I did not use Google, nor did I rely on my incredible memory from my high school history class!!:) I am a Centennial Baby. I, along with many of my friends, were born the year Canada turned 100 years old! 1967 - what a year! Not only was it the year Elvis and Priscilla got married, it was the year of the World Expo in Montreal - which I attended - if you count the fact I was still in my mother's womb! To honour the fact I was a Centennial Baby, I was given a silver spoon , silver cup and a certificate from our mayor congratulating me for being born in Canada's centennial year - as if I had a choice - maybe my parents planned it that way so they could get the silver!!:) Apparently I was one of the lucky ones to get these prized possesions. Not all my fellow centennial comrades acquired such extravagant gifts! Sorry! 2007 is a milestone for centennial babies across the nation - the year of turning 40! I was at my first centennial baby 40th birthday celebration for my friend Michelle last night! She was hoping it would slip past without anyone noticing, but her fiance had another plan! She was surprised , humbled and thrilled to have her friends and family come out to celebrate this milestone birthday. We are all looking forward to the next centennial baby 40th birthday celebration and anticipating the next time we encounter the trivia question, "how old is Canada?" Without missing a beat, we will always give the correct answer!

Photo in a Wallet

It is easy to get attached to students who hold special places in my heart. The student ( "S") I referred to in my Dec./06 post is one such example. I worked with her for three years. I was sad when I found out I would not be working with her this year. She was sad too and wouldn't talk to me for a month:) Last week we took our special needs class to see the movie "Shrek the Third" along with all special needs classes in the Durham Region! Yes, it was an interesting experience, but quite enjoyable! "S" came with us! When we arrived at the theatre, "S" handed me her wallet to get her money out for popcorn. As I opened her wallet, I saw my picture! How sweet! I still hold a special place in her heart too!

Living in space: Victoria Day long weekend!

I treasure the moments where I have the privilege of sharing space with my friends in their community. Why?....

I get to ride the train instead of
driving on the 401...

Sharing in the daily life of raising their children opens my eyes to the raw, honest and joyous reality of parenthood... sharing in their faith community expands my Christian world view and exposes me to pure church community living...

laughing, drinking tea and sharing decadent desserts with their friends...

being silly modelling new "butt boosting" underwear while shopping at Walmart( why anyone would want to add more padding to their bottoms is beyond my understanding!!)...

freedom to let loose and burn off some stress...

exuberant amounts of laughter...

sharing quiet moments fills me up...

just being together...crying, sharing in the pain of the difficult moments at this stage in our lives...praying...holding each other close knowing it will all be okay...celebrating...kindred spirits...
thankfulness for the incredible community of friends that surround me as I continue on this journey of life touches me at the core of my being!

As you "live" in the space of those around you may you be ever mindful that we need community and need to be community to others.