Showing posts with label summer in Abbotsford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer in Abbotsford. Show all posts

Monday, July 13, 2009

Home Again, Home Again

Winding up our first full day back at home in Torreon. It is weird and normal all at the same time. We've pretty much stepped back into life. Everything is familiar and routine. Which is good and bad. This is our home after all, and there is a certain comfort to being home. But we MISS our loved ones! And spending the whole day together as a family unit, every day. We sure miss Andrew when he's at work.

This trip to Canada was exceptionally rich. We really focused on spending our time with people, and were so blessed by that decision! We have so many extraordinary people in our lives. Thank you to everyone who carved out time for us. We felt very very loved. (And sorry to those of you we didn't get a chance to see. Vacations are always too short!)

I think I can speak for Andrew when I say that a huge highlight (among very many) was seeing our kids with their cousins. Even at such a young age, the kids just know there's something special and different about family. And it shows in their play and comments. That special bond is so tangible.

You could see that the kids recognized that there was something different about all the loved ones we spent time with, and adjusted their behaviour accordingly to be much more open and comfortable than they are with people we are not as close with.

While we did focus on people, we managed to squeeze in some shopping, and came home with most of the things we needed, including: a new maternity swimsuit for me! Goodbye Ursula the Sea Witch swimsuit, hello much more flattering and form fitting swim dress (not even maternity, but it works). I also bought a boatload of new cloth diapers, and was gifted a boatload of used cloth diapers. Thank you so much Louise and Melissa!!!! I am super excited about my foray into cloth diapering. Ridiculously excited, some might say. I am actually saving the washing and organizing of said diapers as a reward for completing my 'coming home to-do list'.

I could devote a whole post to how much I love and appreciate my bed. We bought it right before we moved here. It has been worth EVERY PENNY. Seriously, almost every night we comment to each other about how much we appreciate that bed. We give thanks to God for that bed. It's worth it to spend a little extra on something you spend 1/3 of your life using.

It's hot here. I don't know why I feel I have to comment on that. Of course it's hot here. It's the middle of summer and we live in the desert. So far though, I'm holding up well.

I'm feeling quite nesty. Have the energy to go that extra mile around the house. Like, if I see something out of place or dirty, to do something about it. Hopefully that lasts for a little while. It is nice to hang around in a neat and clean home.

Our yard is amazingly overgrown. I hope our gardener can come tomorrow.

My van is amazingly coated in dust. I hope I get around to washing it tomorrow.

My ficus tree is still alive!!! Whoohoo!! Last summer all my house plants bit it while I was gone.

Maybe I'll even buy a few more house plants now that our annual lengthy absence has passed. Good to have that extra oxygen in the house. Anybody have suggestions of VERY hearty houseplants that tolerate dry conditions and neglect?

Friday, July 3, 2009

Already More Than a Week!

Can't believe we're more than halfway through our time here in Abbotsford. We have been keeping very busy and loving all the great times spent with family and friends.

We've had lots of fun times in Al & Alice's back yard: visiting, playing, splashing, eating... The kids are so comfortable here at Grandma & Grandpa's. They love their special beds that Grandma set up for them, and the special activities she does with them. One of their favorite parts about being here is spending time with their cousins. Eva keeps asking how many more sleeps til she sees Megan again. It is a delight to see them running around and playing together and loving each other.

We've also managed lots of local Nerd time (Melissa has written a comprehensive post explaining what and who the Nerds are). It has been awesome. Between four families there are nine kids!! It is mayhem. In a good way. When we all walked to the park the neighbors just kind of stood wide-eyed and watched the parade pass by. All the kids (ages 6 months through 6 years) play together sooo well. Us adults play together pretty well too ;)

Louise somehow ended up ferrying kids from three different families to the park. Her little guy Koen is in the baby carrier, and Torie's Addison is in the stroller with Micah.

Melissa

Eva pulling her weight... at least

Today we headed to Tsawwassen for to visit with a good portion of the B.C. Troniaks. It was so good to see everyone. We also really enjoyed having some time on the beach at Boundary Bay which is a short walk from my aunt and uncle's house.

Tuesday we'll head down to Seattle for the day to see another Nerd who is flying in from the Philippines for a conference. So great. Later in the week we're planning a day trip to Whistler. I've never been there so I'm really looking forward to it.

I know the rest of the trip is going to fly by!

Check out Andrew's blog to see more photos of our time here.