Clap Your Hands....

...if you believe in faeries. (And cowboys.)

Mid-December

It's been a month since I last posted. No, I didn't drop off the face of the earth. This season is always a busy one, and this year I'm making a real effort to keep things simple and try to focus on Jesus and the wonderful reason we celebrate. I've often thought of things to write, but have been occupying myself with all sorts of other things. Here, in no particular order, are a few photos of some of what's been going on around here.

Erik making muffins with the kids. 

We have snow! A rare treat in our neck of the woods, the kids are really enjoying this. Peregrine was trying to convince me that I wouldn't believe how deep it was. I guess he's probably never seen more than this, about 5 or 6 inches. Do you think he believes my stories (which are true) of the snow drifts of my childhood in Alberta, drifts high enough to build tunnels in? 

This is one of the more candid shots that Erik took of the kids for our Christmas card. I'm so blessed by these three.

This one really captures the kids' personalities. Peregrine, precariously perched, pushing things as far as he can, and Poppy, looking on in safety!

I've long wanted to do our stockings on St. Nicholas Day, December 6, and this year I actually got it together in time. We had fun learning about St. Nicholas, whose life was characterized by his love for God and generosity to the poor. We filled the stockings with little things that were symbolic of stories from his life. I think the focus on him, early in the Christmas season, is timely, as he teaches us that is is better to give than to receive, and helps us to remember to care for the poor. 

Alethea, a happy little baker, helping make gingerbread muffins for St. Nicholas Day.

Raphael is eight months old. No longer a little baby, he is sweet, happy and on the move! 

My heart is so full! Five stockings this year. We are blessed. As we sat around the breakfast table on St. Nicholas Day my eyes filled with tears of joy and gratitude for this sweet family God has given to us. 

A few creations, a wee felt angel, and a little St. Nicholas below. I've been enjoying making some small gifts this year for the kids and others. I love crafting, and need to make more time for it. 

A few thoughts, since I'm here.... I went out grocery shopping the Sunday after Thanksgiving and was really struck with the craziness and stress in the air. It was a good motivator and reminder to me that it is not what I want to characterize this time! I want our preparation for and celebration of Christ's birth to be full of joy and peace, and honoring to Him. It takes a real effort not to get caught up in all the madness, the greed, the commercialism, that can easily eclipse the true meaning of Christmas, and I don't always succeed. 

A few tangible things we're doing this year to try to keep things less stressful are planning simpler meals and trying to eat a lot of meals from the freezer. Also, among my extended family we decided that instead of buying gifts for each other we will send money to some friends who work among the poorest of the poor in Haiti. As much as I love buying gifts, I'm really enjoying having fewer things to think about, and the joy of knowing that a family will eat for another month, or a child will go to school or an orphan will be cared for is truly more satisfying than more stuff. 

When we went to get our Christmas tree this year Erik and I talked about how it's fun that we've been a family long enough to have established some of our own traditions. I know this whole process is just that, a process, but I'm excited about finding new ways of rediscovering the joy and meaning in celebrating the incarnation of our Lord. Next year I want to get it together in time to do a Jesse Tree with the kids, and would also like to participate more in alternative giving, as well as more handmade and practical gifts. 

Well, I think that about wraps up my rambling thoughts for the day. I hope you are all having much joy and peace as you prepare your hearts and homes for Christ's birth! 

The Pop-per-raffi

My siblings and I thought it was quite humorous when our mom had to run through two or three names before her tongue found the one she was looking for. With sisters named Alyssa and Gloria it wasn't terribly uncommon to hear things like“Re-Gloria” or  "Al-Glo-Rebeca." As a kid, of course, I couldn't fathom the numerous things a mother does all day, every day, and often all at once. Now, I understand. As I sat at the table feeding Raphael the other day I struggled to get the right name on my lips and it came out something like "Pop-Per-Raffi". 

And thus a new name for my children, in a collective sense, was born: they are now known as "The Popperaffi". It sounds kind of like Paparazzi. It may not seem like my children have anything in common with these infamous rabid journalists, but it's not as out there as you may think. I really do have my own version going on. Three people who I can't seem to shake; they watch me night and day. They're not yet equipped with cameras, but by their very lives they're recording my words, my actions, even my attitudes. And they really do follow my everywhere. It doesn't matter if I'm on the toilet or in the shower, they seem to find me! I'm reminded (and it's a timely reminder) of one of my favorite quotes from Elizabeth Prentiss.

"My children, my darling precious children....what I want them to become I must become myself."

It's a tall order. I have high hopes for the kind of people I want my children to become. I don't care about how much money they make or what kind of social position they find themselves in, but I do want them, above all, to love God with all their hearts, souls, and minds, and to love their neighbor as themselves. I want them to be kind, compassionate, generous, joyful, unselfish, courageous, loving, humble. It's what I want to become too, but I have a long, long way to grow. I know that Erik and I are the biggest earthly influence in their lives, that they see us at our best and at our worst, that many times our actions don't line up with our words or our expectations of them. But we love, and are abundantly loved by, a big God, a God who is bigger than we are, who loves our kids more than we do, whose plans for them exceed ours, and who is able to bring them to pass. 

So even though the calling is high, so very high, I won't lose heart. I will continue to live with my little Popperaffi and let them see my life, moment by moment, day by day. I will continue to love them, to play with them, teach them, correct them, dance with them. I will humble myself and ask their forgiveness when I have spoken harshly or become impatient with them. I will continue to pray for all of us to become more like our loving and kind-hearted Christ. And I will trust Him to complete the work that He started in us. 

And Mom? I hope you can forgive me for laughing when you called my Al-Glo-Rebeca. I understand now. I really do. 

Pondering

I have a question for you. I'm sure the answer is different for everyone, and I'm not being judgemental, just wondering....

How many "spaces" on the web does one person need? Why does one person need to have two or three blogs, twitter, myspace, etc.? And how do people find the time to keep up with several different "spaces"? Do you expect your friends to keep up with you on all of these, or are they targeted to different groups of people in your life? Do they have different themes? Help! I'm confused! 

I'm just curious, as this blog is "my space" on the web and I don't post here as often as I'd like. Simply living life, most of the time, takes precedence. (I actually do have a couple of "myspace" type profiles but I don't spend time doing anything with them.) I can't imagine trying to keep up with much more than this. 

Answers, anyone? 

Now We Are Six

When I was One,

I had just begun.

When I was Two,

I was nearly new.

When I was Three,

I was hardly Me.

When I was Four, 

I was not much more.

When I was Five,

I was just alive.

But now I am Six, I'm as clever as clever.

So I think Ill be six now for ever and ever.

A.A. Milne

On Saturday we celebrated our Peregrine turning six. So many things come to mind when I stop to think about what a gift we have been given in this boy. I am incredulous that he is already six years old. I owe him a letter, but I'm dreadfully behind on those, as I haven't even written Poppy's from when she turned three (seven months ago. Ack. In my defense we had a baby two days after her birthday, but still. It's not like I never sit down and write anything.) So, my goal this week, along with cleaning my pantry, (which has been on my list since before Raphael was born) is to get these letters written. Quickly, before they grow and change anymore! 

I will leave you with some pictures of the Grand Celebration, the now epic costume party we have every year for Peregrine. 

Peregrine was very excited to receive some tools!

Raphael the happy Lil' Skunk.

The Glam Housewife with her Raggle Taggle Gypsy Man. the scary part? Erik actually liked me dressed up like this! I guess that's fair though, because I thought he looked mighty fine himself. 

Really, though, don't we all dress like this everyday? 

Poppy the Pastry Chef, who takes her job very seriously.

My nephew Gabriel, aka Cheeto!

My ol' Ma and Pa from the Prairies. I grew up on the Prairies, but even then they didn't dress like this.

My niece Jessamyn the Princess, who almost had to turn sideways to get through the door in those sleeves. When she was little we used to call her Jessamyn PrinCessamyn.

My sister Gloria the Peacock and niece Peace the Butterfly. Lovely, both of them.

Peregrine the Wild West Sheriff, and Poppy

And finally, "Great" Aunty Alyssa and "Great" Uncle Scott who managed to make it in spite of their old age.

We also had a little monkey (my nephew Diego), Daddy Warbucks, Grace, Little Orphan Annie and another darling little orphan join the party. A wonderful time was had by all. Peregrine is already talking about when he turns seven, and how long this bridge between birthdays is! We are thankful for our boy, and thankful to all who were able to come and celebrate with us, and those of you who didn't make it this year too.

And to illustrate his rascally-ness, here's a little conversation we had at a Chinese restaurant the other night: Since it was his birthday he got a free desert. This was after the birthday party where there was plenty of sugar to go around. I handed him his fortune cookie and told him we could read the message but that he couldn't eat the cookie. He accepted that without any complaining. (This is a BIG milestone!!) He took the slip of paper out of the cookie and I read it to him: "The thing you are planning will succeed." He didn't even hesitate to say, with a twinkle in his eye, "Does that mean I do get to eat the fortune cookie?" I came close to giving in on account of the quickness he came up with that, but held my ground. He's a wily one, and I really do have to watch it with him! 

Well, Erik is going to be home from work soon, so I'd better go freshen up my make-up, straighten my apron, and make sure my pearls look okay. I wouldn't want him to think I do nothing but sit around eating bonbons all day!