November - time to remember

It's the Sunday after Dave's birthday and you are both down in the basement "playing". You are over tired from the birthday party last night. I'm proud of you. The screaming matches are frequent, as your tempers are very short. BUT the peace that fills the gaps between the fights is still there. I can see how hard you are trying the remember fairness and compassion and forgiveness. I know very well how it feels to be so tired that you want to scream. I think I feel that way today too. Should I have let you stay up past 9pm last night? Should I have put you to bed 2 hours earlier and had you wake up fresh and chipper? Life is short. We will live it to the fullest. I have always said that a person remembers the nights that they stayed up too late more fondly than the nights they went to bed early.

Remembering the nights that I stayed up late gives me a very warm and happy feeling. My parents loved to entertain their friends at our house when I was growing up. When the party was in full swing, I was there. When the grow-ups got out the guitars, I was listening. When I finally yawned a very long and loud yawn, my Mother would tuck me into bed and return to the party. I would often stretch my late night out a little bit longer and sneak to the top of the stairs to sit and listen and watch a bit longer. By that time, the guitars were being past from person to person, often with broken strings and a bit out of tune, but that didn't matter. It still sounded good - the sound of people living and laughing and staying up late.

So, we will go to bed early tonight and have sweet dreams of the nights we stayed up late celebrating life. Sleep will come fast and it will nurture our tired bodies. We will be strong again in time for the next late night - another time to remember waiting to happen.

My Hannah, who is 7 years old. 7 is a lucky number. I will remember the eve of your 7th birthday forever. You burst into the sweetest tears about the milestone that lay ahead. You just didn't want to turn 7. The birthday was exciting. The party was going to be perfect. The gifts were all welcome but the passage of time....the end of your 6th year and the beginning of your 7th year was too different. 6 was good. It treated you well. You carried it off flawlessly.

I promise you Hannah - 7 is lucky. It's different and new but you are ready for it. You will be the best 7 year old that ever was.

My Sadie, who is 4 years old. I will remember the eve of your 4th birthday forever too. We were distracted by the company of friends and you were full of laughs and when suddenly you remembered what you were going to wake up to in about 12 hours. You climbed into my lap on the couch and lay back and said "Can I go to bed now so I can wake up and turn 4?"

Your 4th year of life is going to be as exciting as you anticipated. It's the final year of preschool for you. You will be in "The Big Kid's" class upstairs. You will slowly prepare yourself for kindergarten, surrounded by your friends, loved be each and every one of them. It's a big adventure to turn 4. You told me today that you don't like princesses anymore. I remember the day that Hannah told me that and I do believe that she was 4 years old too. You are following in your sisters footsteps and believe me - those footsteps will not lead you astray.

*This picture was taken in spring 2009. We took a short trip up to Tremblant village. The weather was at least 20 degrees but the bottom of the ski hill was still covered in snow.

A House of Brick

I yanked you out of your old home and you trusted me. A little reluctantly, but you went along with me and hoped I knew what I was doing. The truth is, I brought you along because I didn't know what I was doing but you make me brave. Welcome to your new home. We have already had three parties in as many weeks. We have all the time in the world to make this place laugh out load while we tell funny stories. This house is a house made to keep our hearts warm and our feet dancing. This house has 4 doors - enough to open wide and let our friends come pouring in, no matter where they are coming from. This house is taller than the others so that we will see it from far away and never ever lose it. This house is made of bricks so the wolf can't blow it down. This house is a home. I picked it for you. I promise to always have a home for you. Welcome home sweet peas!

"If ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together...there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart...I'll always be with you."

Winnie the Pooh