Raising Angus ~ What?? I’m 40?

Here it comes, just a few hours away and I will no longer be 30 something, I will be 40. Honestly I am looking forward to it. I have mostly believed that age is a state of mind. (I say mostly because 30 was a dodgy birthday for me).

I look back on the last 40 years and realize that I have experienced a lot. I have loved, been loved, I have had my heart-broken and moved on, I have experienced great beauty and strength in myself and in many others, I have learned and taught. I have been jubilant, and defeated. I have experienced great loss and the amazing connection of a loving family. I am so blessed with all that I have and by the people in my life.

My soul sister once told me that 40 is not a mid-life crisis time, but a mid-life reflecting period. So upon reflection, there are people who need to be recognized.

My mother – the one who raised us, taught me to sew, cook and clean. She taught me about perseverance, and figuring things out for yourself – my mother did everything from fixing toilets,  to painting walls, to wallpapering,  and making duvet covers, curtains and any thing else we needed including clothes. She raised 3 children without the aid of her mother. I don’t think I could have survived the initial phase of parenthood without her. I admire her for the love she give to everyone and the heart that she puts into all she does.

My father, who taught me one of the most important lessons – “You’ve a tongue in yer heed! Use it!” If you never tell someone they are doing something wrong, they will never know that they are doing something wrong. I admire him for being the breadwinner in the family and for putting the fear of GOD into us without ever raising a hand to us. I love that he is so capable of building anything, from a 2 story addition on our house in Brampton to the beautiful bookshelf that sits in my living room. In many ways I love his temper too, mostly now because I can laugh about it after. Like the time he lost his sandal when we were trying to dock the boat. Man there was a lot of blue smoke that day, but we all laughed about it, including him, after supper that night. I also think I inherited my hugging ability from him. I was told once by my cousin that I give the best hugs, you feel it right to your core. My Dad does the same thing, when he hugs you, you know you have been hugged.

My sister who has worked so hard for everything she has, and yet she is so generous with everything she has. For sharing her insight, her kindness and her love, for being a great big sister.

My brother who has been a pain in the ass from age 5 and on – Just kidding! Stephen has taught me to follow a dream, even if it seems far-fetched. He said he wanted comedy school and he did it and rocked it! I never knew he was so funny. Also that men can be great parents and have patients with 3 children under the age of 4 (well for a few hours longer anyway). And for being a great little brother.

For my husband who taught me to embrace my inner child and just let go! To have fun while the sun shines and worry about the work later. For teaching me that age is just a state of mind, and you are as young as you feel. For giving me unconditional love. For teaching me kindness and generosity of heart.

To my baby boy, who is now 4! Seeing the world through your child’s eyes makes everything new. For the excitement he gets from a freezie or a new crayon. The pure bliss he shows whenever we go to the beach! He runs for the water with such exuberance that I can hardly contain the joy I feel watching him. For how much he loves those in his life, and how freely he shares that love with those people. (you all know who you are, and many of you are not actually related).

My in-laws for teaching me about acceptance and letting things go. It amazes me how they don’t get upset if we can’t make it to a family event, and they love their daughters and son-in-law as if they were actually their children. The love and care they exude is amazing. Thank you for accepting me.

For my many and varied friends, you have helped me realize that you don’t have to be alike or even like the same things in order to be friends. I cherish every friendship I have and I appreciate the variety that you each bring to my life.

I look forward to the next 40 years and spending as much of that time with all the people I love!

I get to spend my birthday with my gorgeous son at Music with Brian, and with my husband at home and one of my oldest friends, learning something new! What a way to enter your 40’s!

Raising Angus ~ Backyard

You never fully realize how important a space is until you can’t use it. Our backyard is undergoing major renovation right now. We had to dig out the caps for the septic, which resulted in the removal of the stairs on the bottom deck (who builds stairs over a septic access???). There was 7 days to go until our birthday party, which is today (thunder storms or no thunder storms), and the stairs were off, and the fence was coming down. Now I was faced with the prospect of having children running around the yard with no stairs, two huge holes, and several small fence post holes.

Thankfully the septic people were able to come on Monday, the holes were filled in quickly, thanks to the help of our neighbours 4 wheeler! The stirs were up, but there were still fence posts and metal stakes sticking out of the ground, with no end in sight.

Last night at around 9pm the last of the metal stakes was out, and with the exception of the fence, the backyard looked pretty good.

So this past week has been pretty hard, since Angus’ favorite place to be is in the backyard, running free within the confines of the fence. Without the fence, we had to have an eagle eye on him, reminding him to stay out of the garden, where the pulled down fence posts were (nails in them and all).  We had to keep him in the yard, not drawing on the neighbours driveway with chalk – YIKES!

We are very happy to have the yard together again for today, to celebrate my 40th and Angus’ 4th birthday! Now if we could only get Mother Nature to co-operate and hold off on the rain!

Raising Angus~Loving Summer.

I have said it before, Angus is a water baby. Too bad he was born under the sign of fire! We have been keeping busy, Gran and Gramps are out of the country and we are taking care of their house and garden. It’s not a bad job, since they are really close to the beach, so we get to go to the beach way more often.

Last week we even ventured to Sauble to spend time with Cynthia, Ava, Ben and Jack. It was a cloudy day, but it was warm and the kids had a blast at the beach. I am sure that Jack and Ben were not constipated at all with all the sand they ate!

This year my husband and I vowed to have a list of things we wanted to do and places we wanted to go. So far the beach is the only one we have accomplished, but I don’t mind, since it is one of my favorite places to go.

One of the benefits is all the fresh air, I have a tan on my arms and legs,  (yes I wear sunscreen, and a big floppy hat to prevent the wrinkles on my face from getting worse),  and for the first time in a long time I don’t feel like I have wasted the summer, and it’s only just begun!

I think that everyone should figure out their favorite place to go and go there as often as you can, it’s great for the soul, it helps reduce stress and if it is outdoors, it usually tires out the kids!

                         HAPPY SUMMER EVERYONE!

Raising Angus ~ Summer

Wow, I just realized how long it has been since I wrote. For many people the Christmas holidays are the busiest time of year, for us it is summer. Basically from the May long weekend the bulk of our summer weekends are booked. It could be family events, holidays or even just trying to get things done. Magically, somehow we have found ourselves a weekend without anything booked! Amazing!

Of course we have now booked something, we are heading to the beach on Friday. Hopefully the weather will be warm enough for the adults, as Angus does not care and will be in the water no matter what.

I think back on my own childhood and one of the greatest memories I have is packing everyone up and having a convoy to Wasaga Beach. The Jardines, the Mackins and the Skillings. It was a lot of fun. We would bring a lunch and spend the day, by the time you got home you were full of sand and tired. But even now 30+ years later, I still remember those days.

My hope is that one day Angus will look back on his childhood and have memories like that. Memories of the beach and spending time with family. Angus is a real water baby and we hope to spend a great deal more time at the beach this year (as long as the weather co-operates!)

Canada’s Birthday is a few hours away and Angus and I are heading to Stratford tomorrow to see Stephen Page perform. We won’t be staying up for fireworks, 10 pm is too late for an almost 4-year-old.  But listening to music, eating cake and playing games will be more than enough for us. Happy Birthday Canada!