Some April Results

Spring Flowers

(Pause)

Ok, so the puking kinda stopped. Connor is feeling fine, but joined Ryan on the couch tonight. Ryan had bland food all day and is feeling better. We had one "dry heave" episode and now is feeling better and laying in bed. I hope we all get some good sleep tomorrow and banish this stomach bug for good.

It's not a late night for us tonight, but I plan to prep for the impending bathroom overhaul. I have to do my materials list and take care of a bunch of last minute details... Until then, wish me luck.

Aliyah's Birthday

Saturday we got up at 6:30am and prepared for Aliyah's birthday party. It was nice to wake up after listening to the rain outside and not have to drive down in the early morning. After our leisurely breakfast, the day started ramping up. Cake deliveries, pre-party prep and Chef Ryan began to kick in to high gear. Ryan made us all breakfast with the help of his student (grandma) and we gulped down pancakes and eggs and waffles. After a scrumptious meal we all took off in different directions to get ready for the party and headed off to a great time with Patti and Anthony and their entire extended family. It was nice seeing everyone and I think the kids had a heck of a time. Ryan and Connor played well with everyone and passed out on the ride home. I think they had too much fun (if that's possible)...

Aliyah's B-Day

After we got home, we broke out Cake for Grandma, and prepared for yet another celebration when the power went out?? It was funny listening to the din of children playing, running, sometimes screaming out in glee, cut short by the surprise darkness. There were no cries, but the kids were frozen in place by the sudden darkness. The lights stayed out for the duration of the party and grandma and the family enjoyed a fun night by candle-light. It was a birthday party, I'm sure she wont soon forget. The power found it's way back to us around 8pm (just after bed time) and tea lights were extinguished and we enjoyed a little TV. I passed out quickly as all the driving and child-wrangling finally caught up to me. Before I passed out, I noted an orchid my parents were growing and snapped a few shots. I guess flowers have become a theme with me. They are easy to shot and come out really nice.

I think the clock is slow

It seems to me that everything I see and do lately has affinity with growth or change. I love how dramatic change makes us feel that what we are doing has value or meaning. (mmm...instant gratification) I will forever be amazed at people like Lise, who can create something from nothing, additionally, I think it's extraordinary how she is able to see the possibilities of what could be latent in things that already exist, but waiting for it is excruciating. We're taught that "slow and steady wins the race", but it's a hard course, when you want instant results. In a fast food world, flowers grow too slowly, process changes at work roll out at a snails pace, losing weight takes too long to put your mind to and home projects never seem to end. Everything seems so insurmountable at times.

In the midst of all this lethargic passage, the children seem to shoot up like weeds and weeks and months melt away in an expeditious precession. While lamenting about how things require so much effort to change the course, the days quickly wend. I am reminded on the days that lethargically go that these moments are actually fleeting at the same time. Like the way waiting 10 more minutes for good friends to arrive feels like an eternity, and how their visits pass all too quickly or waiting for flowers to bloom takes forever, but once they have flowered, they hastily retreat.