The End of One Chapter and the Beginning of Another

Some books are just too good to put down. The stories are so rich and full - they make an impression on you that remains. It's those kinds of books that you don't just read a few pages and stick it on a shelf for later. No, you gotta read it all the way to the end of the chapter. There's something about finishing a chapter that brings a sense of accomplishment and closure. And although you've not yet finished the book and there are many more chapters to go, you can't begin a new chapter until you complete the previous one. Funny how that works eh? There's an order to everything in life. This past April our family came to the end of a chapter with the passing of my grandfather Edsel. (or "Pipi" as all the grandchildren affectionately called him.) Grandma had passed away a little while earlier so with Pipi's passing it left a terribly lonely void in the lives of our family - especially his children. Losing one parent is tragic enough. There is change, but it is bearable because you still have one parent to help keep things "normal." But once you've lost them both I imagine the sense of loss is so great - everything changes - nothing feels normal again because you are now charting new territory, facing something you've never had to face before - life without your parents. The ones who were your biggest fans, your source of strength and wisdom, your first love, your protectors and providers, the ones who loved you enough to discipline you, the ones who gave you life, raised you up and not only gave you a history but hope for the future too. And when they're gone, everything changes. For our family that chapter in our book came to a close this past week with the sale of Grandma and Pipi's home. I can only imagine what it must have been like in the days and weeks leading up to the sale of the house. Having to sort through years of history and memories in the midst of your grief must be an in incredibly emotional experience. What a painful process. A tragedy in itself but very necessary in order to finish the chapter.... and you can't begin the next chapter until you finish the previous one first. So with the closing of this chapter, despite the pain that still lingers, we look forward to the future and the hope that a new chapter holds....knowing that the book is not finished being written yet.
In our own immediate family we too are experiencing the close of an old chapter and the beginning of a new one. I still cannot divulge all the details yet but I can give you enough to keep you wondering and waiting with us. This will be the year our family stops "fostering" through Children's Aid and begins a new chapter as a "REAL" family (as one of the kidlings called it.) So in the meantime as the foster children leave and the "permanent" ones move in, you may get confused as we re-number the herd in this blog. Bear with us, the transition will eventually pass and we'll be on our way to new things as we begin our next chapter!
I just wanted to share a few "funnies" from my kiddos this past week:
* The boys were watching television while I did some house work. As I walked past the living room into the kitchen I was shocked and appalled to hear B2 say to his brother; "They're "coloured" right B1? Who coloured them?" I raced into the room to find them watching cartoons with characters that looked "coloured" - like with coloured pencils! Hahaha

*As we drove down some country roads enjoying the rare occasion where we all fit into the van at the same time (a few children were away at the moment), we passed by a few farms. As we rounded the corner B3 squealed delightedly from the backseat "LOOK AT THE PIGS!" He wasn't even embarrassed when we pointed out that they were SHEEP. Our kiddos are oh so sheltered! LOL

* One night as the boys were getting cleaned up and ready for bedtime a fight broke out in the bathroom. Out rushed B3, quite upset and blurted "B2 is going to tell on me!" "Why?" I asked. "Because I wasn't going to spit on him." explained B3. Poor kiddo, always gets himself into trouble, no one else has to even try.

* Grandma Cathy was on the back porch when B2 wandered over to her. "Are you sigaring? Sigaring is bad for you ya know. Sigaring hurts your lungs ya know. Are you gonna quit? Hahaha out of the mouths of babes.

* Little G2 was walking around the yard with a large button on a string that she took from one of the boys. She came up to the porch and G1 asked her what it was. Little G2 replied "Is it a belly button?"
I feel like a bit of a heel sharing this but it is such a good life lesson I can swallow my pride and lay it out there. I sent the boys outside to play in the backyard while I got some house work done indoors. It was a busy morning and I was rushing to get things caught up. The boys had been running in and out as I was trying to get the floors washed and I was getting frustrated. I was at the boiling point when B3 came to the back door AGAIN. I opened the door to find him holding out a tiger lily that had been riped off my plants in my garden. I snatched the flower from his hand and said "B3, what did you do to my flowers !?!?" {and then I caught myself - a little too late - and realized it was a gift for me} B3 said "I got you a pretty flower." Feeling like a fool for reacting the way I did, I smiled brightly, thanked him for the lovely flower, told him I loved him and asked him not to pick the flowers in the garden without asking first. I slinked back into the house with my tail between my legs. Why do I do that???? Why do I react first and think second..... Thank God I am not finished, the Lord's not done with me yet - I am a work in progress (boy do I need some work some days) Anyway, that whole scenario reminded me of a great email forward I came across many years ago. It really spoke to me then and still does today - obviously... I wanted to share it with you:
Family

I ran into a stranger as he passed by. "Oh excuse me please" was my reply. He said "please excuse me too: I wasn't watching for you." We were very polite this stranger and I. We went on our way and we said good bye.

But at home a different story is told. How we treat our loved ones, young and old. Later that day, cooking the evening meal, my son stood beside me very still.
When I turned I nearly knocked him down. "Move out of the way." I said with a frown. He walked away, his little heart broken. I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

While I lay awake in bed, God's still small voice came to me and said, "while dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use, but the family you love, you seem to abuse."

Go and look on the kitchen floor, you'll find some flowers there by the door. Those are the flowers he brought for you. He picked them himself, pink, yellow and blue.

He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise, you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."
By this time, I felt very small. And now my tears began to fall. I quietly went and knelt by his bed: "Wake up little one, wake up" I said. "Are these the flowers you picked for me?" He smiled, "I found them by the tree.

I picked them because they're pretty like you. I knew you'd like them, especially the blue." I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today: I shouldn't have yelled at you that way." He said "Oh mom, that's okay. I love you anyway." I said "son, I love you too, and I do like the flowers, especially the blue."

*Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, many of us pour ourselves more into work than into our own family .... where are you investing your time?
Until next week .... Cherish the things that matter most.