Tag Archive | Anniversary

Just June

Well there is really no JUST about it… February and June are two of our busiest months. (February) June has our anniversary (16th), Father’s Day, my birthday, my stepmom’s birthday, our two god daughter’s birthdays and of course first day of SUMMER! Yup, lots of mailing and doing and enjoying in the month of June. And don’t forget a welcome visit from TWO of our Canadian friends! You can read more about Karyn and Lauralee’s visit HERE.imag001520160621_161014_hdr

We had all sorts of fun in June – We played Legos at Mall of America.20160618_122751

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Of course we did the monthly Home Depot project with Father’s Day as the theme.img_20160604_115142

Spent the majority of our weekday morning at the YMCA enjoying ClubY for the 4 older kids, daycare for Miss Echo (and on Friday’s Little Lotus Yoga) and working out for mom. Plus swimming and an hour of quiet mom time all wrapped up in a 2 mile walk each way.

These are shirts they did up in club.

These are shirts they did up in club.

It was well worth our effort. The kids had a blast playing games, meeting friends, doing stuff without me. Echo was the darling of daycare with her 2 hours a day. And me, well I got on the treadmill, swam with my baby AND had an hour of time that was my own to sew, read, socialize and just be without the kids hanging off of me.

Trinity even managed to find time to get her PINK wristband.

Trinity even managed to find time to get her PINK wristband.

Mommy hour!

Mommy hour!

Gavin worked his buns off on the shawl he entered in the County Fair in July.img_20160622_102422

And while Zander tried to join the run club, he was the only sign up and did not make the minimum count. So off he went to TRACK AND FIELD. Where we quickly learned he is a distance runner and NOT a speed demon.received_10154315595781151

I have to share the amazing yarn Ken picked up for my birthday. A portion of the proceeds went to help the people affected by the wildfires in Alberta. AND it is gorgeous… win win!img_20160629_144758

We snuck in some learning, but for the most part June was a month of outside time.img_20160620_143203

img_20160622_134802Getting to know our YMCA better and take full advantage of our membership. I was never so glad as to be able to walk 2 miles with 5 kids as I was this June. There was whining and trudging but we had so much fun when we got the the YMCA and felt so much healthier by the end of it. AMAZING.img_20160621_114153

New noodles

New noodles

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I played around with hair colours too.img_20160616_210718

The one thing that stands out when I think of June is just how much we smiled. So important and simple… we had a month full of joy.img_20160621_133928

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15 Years and Looking Forward to Decades More…

15 years later and the one constant in my life has always been Ken. With 5 children and a move to a different country under out belt things have definitely been an adventure, though not always the adventures we have expected. June 16th of 2016 marks our 15th year of marriage. It is hard to believe that those two college kids are now who we are today.

In a world where so much seems disposable and so many things change at the drop of a hat, this marriage has been a foundation and a constant for me. We have weathered our share of storms and railed against the “unfair” nature of things we could not always control… We have celebrated life’s joy and marveled in the gifts we have been given. There has been hope and conflict, love and good byes.

I am sure everyone is well aware that we have run the gauntlet with depression, this was not exactly an unknown for me in our marriage. We just assumed, in our naivety that Ken had been “cured” of his issues and he was able to simply follow the psychiatrist’s recommendation that he, “wean off them slowly” when he relocated from the US to Canada. Thankfully this ongoing experience and journey has created an even stronger bond between us than before. I have to admit, I was a little concerned that healthy Ken would find me less of a desirable partner than he did when he was ill and not knowing it. Well two events later and an amazing new plan and the people we are now are as attractive to each other, if not more so than those silly young things way back then.

We have experienced the lows together and come out stronger and more confident, now I can only image that the highs are going to bring us. (although we have discussed how maybe we emphasized the more difficult words in our vows a little too well… richer or POORER, in SICKNESS and in health… someone out there was listening a little too closely and has a rather rude sense of humour.)

So what can I share 15 years later? Well… we have both grown together and who we are now is most certainly altered from who we were then. Our long term goals have both stayed the same and changed and one of the biggest perks to our long engagement and intent need to discuss EVERYTHING is that we have never had that shock of OMG you don’t want the same thing… but I thought… that some couples seem to have. So I will put out there… talk about EVERYTHING, every little stinking insignificant thing… We knew from the outset that not only were we raised differently in different families but in different countries. No matter what the jokes are Canada is not interchangeable with the US. We found terminology differences, ideology differences, philosophies that did not mesh. So we talked and we talked and we talked. It was tiring at times and frustrating but it was WORTH IT.

Our love has changed, maybe not changed but… matured. Where we once had a “do it like bunnies you are so hot” mentality that I swear is common in most college age love stories at the very least… now we have a soul touching, mind melding love that is beyond the fact that he STILL is so hot to me. We love who we were, who we are and the potential there is to become something even more in each other. While so many people talked about how amazing it was for us to be together 15 years it feels like, to me, that we have barely been together a drop in the bucket. There is so much more time that we have to look forward to (world and life willing), the future is enormous and my travel partner a sarcastic, crazy, sometimes angry but loving American who has only become more amazing through out the years.

The biggest thing, I think, is that our marriage is our own. We are not dependent on our parents’ marriages succeeding, no one else around us’ relationships are detrimental to our own. That is not because they do not matter or on some smaller level affect us as individuals and as a couple, but no one else’s love has created restrictions or dimension to our love. Who you love or leave does not decrease my love for Ken or his for me. We feel sadness when someone’s relationship comes to a close and joy when we celebrate another’s love but our love, our connection is our responsibility and our choice. I chose everyday to reaffirm my relationship with affection and hard work. This comes from deep inside myself.

This does not decrease the amazing assist that seeing and being around other healthy relationships can add to my life. But, my compromises and tribulations are not a result of a turbulent marriage down the block or the fact that those two people across the state are in love. Rather it is the responsibility of myself and Ken to grow and strengthen our bond. Hopefully showing to our own children that love is a wonderful and fulfilling thing to find in your life.

So… 15 yrs later and I see no end in sight. I can only wish this sort of joy to the rest of you. Find someone that makes you happy and if that is not in the cards for you or even a priority (and for some it simply isn’t) find that within yourself, find something you love to do and do it! I hope everyone can find longevity in that be it a person or something else. Thank you Ken for finding something in me that is meaningful to you and making that a priority in your life. I love you!IMG_20160617_220542

This entry was posted on 09/07/2016, in Uncategorized. 3 Comments

Just a Look at June

From May right into busy June… our anniversary, my birthday, Father’s day, VBS and an extended cousins visit from Florida… oh and schooling and the first day of summer. If anything June is NEVER boring for this family.DSCN0190

We slipped some school in around the cousins, but for the most part this was a true summer break for the kids and school.DSCN0203

IMAG2969You never knew WHO was going to come to class… a princess, a batgirl… ever changing.DSCN0194DSCN0188DSCN0191

We pulled out the pool and dusted off the playset. With the cousins around there was lots to do around the house.DSCN0221DSCN0200

DSCN0209The boys were quick to settle down around the computers in the sub basement room.DSCN0197

Echo and I took advantage of the break from school and enjoyed the sun and quiet in the sunroom until the high point of the day when it was simply too warm to do so!DSCN0205

DSCN0226DSCN0198We managed to see our friends play soccer…

Go Evan!

Go Evan!

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Nathan watching his brother before HIS game

Nathan watching his brother before HIS game

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Go Nathan!

Go Nathan!

Found time for the beach…DSCN0269

DSCN0270DSCN0274DSCN0279DSCN0276IMAG0130Got to craft at a special Target event…DSCN0287

DSCN0291With the highlight of the cousin visit being a family trip to Mall of America for food AND rides in the amusement park! Thanks Nana and Baba!

Silly boys

Silly boys

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Lego store too... of course!

Lego store too… of course!

DSCN0352Ken and I even snuck away to watch our god son (Anthony) play soccer.DSCN0358

DSCN0362DSCN0370DSCN0383With Aidan benched due to a bad concussion before school was out we made quite a few visits to their house for somewhat quiet, relaxed play.DSCN0393

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Gavin and I went to one of Alex's baseball games

Gavin and I went to one of Alex’s baseball games

and watched?

and watched?

DSCN0458And somehow managed to sneak in a week of VBS with the church that runs the day care that Schwartz kids go to.

Party poppers

Party poppers

end of VBS dinner

end of VBS dinner

IMAG0046We even had Aidan over for a sleepover.DSCN0429

DSCN0430DSCN0435The kids were enrolled in summer courses at the YMCA thanks to Nana and Baba. Zander took run club, Emanuel a cooking class, and Gavin and Trinity were in archery while miss Echo loved the daycare time.DSCN0436

Add to that the fun of preparing for an October wedding with my high school besty Shandai and I have to say… the most unusual month EVER! At least for this year.DSCN0437

SHAPE!

SHAPE!

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Tiny hats! Ready for the wedding

Tiny hats! Ready for the wedding

We fit in a second visit to the beach with the Schwartz boys and I even had a full sighting of the elusive “other cat” as Echo has termed her, while crafting with Renee.DSCN0479

DSCN0478DSCN0480DSCN0492And as the photos prove – I was never far from a crafting project. Sunshine and fresh air go best with crochet. I swear it!DSCN0464

DSCN0448There was a whole lot more to see… so be sure to follow on to the overflow post for the rest! Thank you for reminiscing with me, it was quite a month!DSCN0202

This entry was posted on 28/01/2016, in Uncategorized. 1 Comment