My Men and Me

I was Mom to a little girl for a year. She left a month ago.

For a year, I tucked her into her bed each night and listened to her say her prayers. I took her trick-or-treating. I planned her sixth birthday party, and bought her Christmas presents, and went to her parent-teacher interviews, and clapped for her at her Christmas concert. I sang with her while we waited for the school bus.

I picked her up from a stranger’s home the night she ran away. We talked about respect and privacy and honesty and “appropriate behaviour”. I found my diamond ring in the pocket of her blue jeans, and my makeup in her backpack. We talked about lying and stealing and “appropriate behaviour”.

She told me I looked pretty when I was trying to look pretty. She noticed when I wore new earrings, or got my hair cut. She loved frilly clothes. She wanted to be beautiful when she grew up.

When she came to live with us, one of the first things she asked was whether she would still be with us for Happy Hallowe’en. She was a princess.

Life is easier now. Calmer, quieter, more peaceful. But I miss her.

Wow, when winter hit yesterday, it went for the knock out. I miss summer already!

Actually, as per my mother’s advice, I am trying to be positive about the whole six-months-of-wind-ice-snow that I have to look forward to. And, you know, count my blessings. Here goes:

1. Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so.

2. Family, of course. I love these guys!

3. Friends. Of all sorts. Especially the ones who have been in the trenches with me. Dirty, muddy friends are the best!

4. Books. ‘Nuff said.

5. Home. Not just a house, you know. Because the house is coming up on a century, and has a few old-age issues. She looks good for her age, though! Home, however, is about the memories, the fun, the tears, and the love.

6. Vision. And I’m not being philosophical here. I am blessed to be able to see. There was a time when I thought I might not.

7. Sunshine! And Saskatchewan has tons of it.

8. Laughter.

9. Bella, my sweet little poodle. Us girls gotta stick together.

10. Movie nights with the boys. Love it when we are all in the same room, snuggled on the couches under blankets.

I am truly blessed beyond comprehension. Thanks, my Heavenly Father, for all of it. The good… and the bad.

A few years ago, when my oldest son turned thirteen, his dad and he took a hunting trip together. It was a chance for them to spend some time together, and for Lyndon to have an opportunity to talk to Tyson about, well, growing up. Becoming a man. Kind of a coming-of-age experience to mark his transition out of childhood.

Colton, our second boy, turned thirteen in February. (Yes, I know that was many months ago, but we’ve been busy!) Colton’s first choice for a father/son trip was to hunt wild boar in Texas. Ya, right, buddy. Instead, Lyndon and he are tramping around Duck Mountain looking for a bear. You read that right. A BEAR. And guess what weapons they are carrying? Bows and arrows.

I am praying that my thirteen-year-old SURVIVES this little manhood experience. Anything else he might learn from it will be gravy.

Okay. Seven months is a long time between blog posts, I’ll admit. And it’s not like anything spectacular has taken me away from the keyboard for so long. Just, you know, life.

So, now that I’m back, I’m not sure what to say?! Does anyone really care that the Ross family camped, travelled to the Black Hills, and hiked mountains in Banff during the summer holidays? Would you be interested in knowing that we didn’t sell the farm, or that we are no longer fostering children? Would you be surprised to hear that the gerbils died, all three of them within a week of each other? Or that Tyson now has his learner’s permit? Or that Canadian Thanksgiving was yesterday, and our family had pancakes for supper?

Nah, nobody wants to know that!