Nora & Her Family: January 2018

Dear family and friends, a belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all. This update is very late this season, but maybe it will come at a less busy time for you to read it or at least look at the photos?! We love to hear from you in cards and emails, and see ever-changing pictures as well, whether on time or late like me. Better late than never, right?! This year's news (of 2017) is formatted strangely in my attempt to do so in verses of Haiku, which is a poem of three lines originating in Japan. The first and third line contain 5 syllables, with 7 in the middle verse. Preferably about nature, these attempts of mine are a definite stretch and certainly more vague than usual. I have just added some blog posts before this with more photos on the wedding and our family vacation etc. Perhaps this next year I can try to communicate better... as far as I know there will be no weddings. :) Susan

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A Haiku challenge
Christmas letter much shorter
Sonnets for next year?

Another year passed

God remains faithful to us

In joy and trials.

Our family grows
Healthy, happy and hungry;
Summaries follow...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snow shoveled by Scott

Compressed nerves re-inflame

Sciatica pain

Weeks to recover

Therapists on speed dial.

Next snow, boys will clear.

Yet time for dinner

Cooking shows viewed from the couch

Making gourmet meals.

Chauffeur day and night
Napping quickly in between
At school more than "Mom".

That, he is...

The nature of work

Never-ending tasks to do

Schedules to manage.

Church conflicts this year
No break from mediating
In stress, God still reigns.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Island holiday

Gentle waves pull away cares.

Kites dive into sand.

Grandpa shows us how it's done.

Newshams together

Happy cousins bond in play

A chance to catch up.

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Susan's new employ

Twelve-hour shifts in a hospice

Comfort for dying.

A huge learning curve

Endless morphine to offer

Now two jobs on call.

Spring Break get-away
Just us girls and booted friends
Empty wet beaches.

Autumn's bittersweet

A second room is emptied

Sorting Lego piles.

A place now for guests

Closeted fabric and clothes

Quilt heaven awaits.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

James reaches new heights

With a small aircraft licence

His rush in the sky.

Installing cable

To Whitehorse, Vernon... he drives

Lonely roads stretch out.

Spring in Vancouver

A roommate, keyboard and stove.

Enjoying late nights.

Discipline dissolved

Eating ice cream and whole pies

His sweet tooth is back.

Growing facial hair

The next adventure he seeks;

Piercing his own ears.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A June diploma

Criminal Justice studied

Charles seeks new work.

His wedding to plan

Projects, gifts, parties, and food.

Late nights of dreaming.

Charles saw his bride;

Margarita in his eyes

Love overflowing.

A day of beauty

Sweet vows spoken; Smiles through tears.

Two families joined.

A sweet honeymoon

Maya Riviera rest

Married life begins.

"Home" now in Delta

So much quieter with two.

A puppy surprise!

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This fall up the hill

Chemistry at SFU

Thomas studies hard.

Textbooks read on bus.

Rainy commutes no longer

A "new" older car.

Full-time summer work
Irate movers want their trucks
U-Haul keeps him on.

His long-distance love

Skyping Sophia out east.

Sciences unite.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grade eleven starts

Music daily afterschool.

Lewis fills his days.

Piano tributes

Drums, bass, electric guitar

The brothers shake floors.

Spring Break in San Fran
Musical friendships bonded
Six days on a bus.

Endless creating

Netbook programming, wheels spin

Never bored within.

Our Renaissance man

Needs his own curriculum

Now he wants to paint.

Painting on a budget... use plywood!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Attendant divine

Wedding events were enjoyed

Another "girl" joins.

Happy in grade three

Chapter books spill from her bag

Taking time with art.

November parties

Growing slowly, turning eight

A new doll to love.

Ballet for two years

Yet too slow for her movements

Jazz in the New Year.

Watch Nora's June program here: She's the shortest one...

So many outfits

Seeking thrift or mall bargains

For endless reasons.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rosie starved herself

After Charles moved away

Now her grief has passed.

Construction chaos

Pile-driving, house-rattling noise

Four months of no guests.

New fridge delivered

Three long months after the fact

Can now entertain.

Susan's folks to move

In downsizing forty years

A rancher awaits.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jesus, God's great gift

So thankful for our Saviour

Our true source of hope.

Blessings upon you

Now, and in 2018.

Peace, joy and love from

Scott, Susan and James

Charles, Margarita, Tom

Lewis, Nora, Rose.

Given the proximity to Halloween, and the several other children in Nora's grade turning eight at the same time, we had her party 3 weeks after the fact. The upside was having more time to plan; the downside being that it cut into Christmas planning. Overall, I was just glad it came together and we had a fabulous time. Here are some photos from Nora's birthday on November 6th.

Trust me, this is 100% true.

A doll that looks like Nora.

A stuffie of the emotion Nora identifies with often... ANGER!
(And she loved it... trust me again, this is our reality.)

Thank goodness for Pinterest, as I have limited experience with planning parties for girls. Lewis was disappointed with our theme, stating many times that it was a licensed product as opposed to an event or something. Well given that Nora has recently been playing with Beanie Boo stuffed toys at school with her friends, it seemed like it would be a popular idea. The search was then on to find the details to make it a party, which I always enjoy.

These are various sizes of Beanie Boos.

Assorted Beanie Boo key clips were prizes for all the kids to use at the party.

Instead of gifts, the kids brought items for the food bank and a toonie towards an
outfit for Nora's new doll. They overwhelmed us with their enthusiasm!

First stop: hat-making for the Beanie Boos.

Scott led the group in Beanie Boo Bingo. We were so amazed at the energy-level in this group of mostly girls compared to our previous experiences with boys at parties. These kids listened, made groups and were operating on a much quieter decibel! So great...

I was spoiled to have help from my girlfriends as well. "Auntie" Darlene came through with ideas for decorating cupcakes with the kids... the big eyes were much appreciated! Julie and Megumi also circulated around helping the children... best party ever!