ethiopia

today's post isn't light and fluffy, as most of my entries usually are.  nope, it's more like heavy and heart wrenching and depressing.  but still, necessary.  excited to read on??  :) i thought so....

i think we all remember the famine of the 80's that hit Ethiopia hard.  i was just around ten years of age at the time when journalists and photographers and aid workers brought the world to Africa, or Africa to the world, and i have vivid memories of images that impacted my life at the time and to this very day.  i believe it was my first visual and mental picture in real time, showing children fighting for their very lives in a place that appeared like hell on earth.  i was struck as a child~ deeply~ that here i was in North America, eating my fill and then some, every single day, while so many like me were losing their fight as hunger and disease literally sucked the life from them, as the world watched with horror.

it completely blew my mind, and i believe shaped my core in ways that tied intricately to my God-given passions.  no mistaking it.  until then, i'd been living a mostly idyllic existence (think hopscotch, kick-the-can, skipping, pigtails and lots of Mom's homemade buttertarts) aware of worldwide hunger, but never actually seeing the pictures, the faces, the excruciating agony.  it was the start of an uneasiness, a necessary and healthy uneasiness, i believe, that i could no longer partake in the abundance of my lavish life with an ignorance to the suffering that was now forever etched in my mind.  a quick Google Image search today of Ethiopia 1984 brings it all back....you too remember it well, i'm sure.  if not, check it out and brace yourself~ the images are so very sad.

 in more recent months, i'd been hearing little bits here and there about another drought hitting the Horn of Africa.  this article printed in the Washington Post yesterday, however, lays out the seriousness of the crisis in harsh detail.  i don't for a second understand the "why" of this complicated issue.  it is hard to fathom that such an event is even possible again, even with a rain failure.  i don't even pretend to get this, and even a quick skim of the comments attached to the article show there is much confusion and differing opinions as to why this beautiful nation finds itself in such utter turmoil once again.  it is obviously multifaceted.  no simple fix exists.  still, i wrestle with the paradox of our two worlds.  as i'm sometimes guilty of letting the water run while i brush my teeth, Ethiopian women dig holes on barren land in hopes of reaching the water table, only to retrieve a small amount of murky water to give to their children.  Lord have mercy.  

kind of makes my head spin...whatever can we do, you might be asking?  i'd say check out Compassion Canada, World Vision, or Samaritan's Purse if you wish to get on board and do something.  it would be a great starting point.  even contact them directly and ask what is being done specifically in the hardest hit regions through the projects and workers already there in Ethiopia.    also, i think it's yet another reminder to live lives of gratitude, every single day.  i can often be guilty of wishing for more.  shame on me.  it's pathetic really.  we are so rich, so comfortable, spoiled to excess in comparison.  also, if ever you have the chance to go to this African land, this vast and magnificent place (of which i've only seen a teeny fraction of but still fell completely in love with) i'd say do it!  without hesitation.  it is life-changing and the desire to be involved then becomes that much more persistent.  which is good, i think.  also, pray for this beautiful country.  obviously, Ethiopia is incredibly near and dear to our family~  it's AJ's birthplace after all...imagine mothers and fathers there staring at their kids just as we do ours, sensing the incredible potential that lies within their fragile bodies, brimming with the same hopes and dreams we have for our children.  it is universal.  anything we muster here feels so small, but maybe if we all do something there will be relief for even a few.

random sweetness

as i sorted unedited cell phone pictures the other day, i stumbled across a few that i thought would fit together in a random picture post, just so i don't get too far past without capturing a few more memories....life has a way of getting ahead of me, and i'm determined to slow the speed even a little to carve away some forever memories....nothing crazy monumental, just the little stuff, but sometimes the sweetest all the same....

one weekend, during a "say yes to the dress" episode, which i always enjoy....i decided to dig out THE wedding dress in which i declared my love to my handsome guy...always fun.  as much for the nostalgia that overtakes me as the pleasure my kids get in seeing me stage a mock processional.  i wouldn't choose the exact dress again, but at the time it was pretty great.  below, Hannah contemplating a "borrowed" look for herself one day...actually no :), she wasn't considering it even a little bit, but she still enjoyed the "bridal" moment, i'd say, just cruisin' around the kitchen with a wedding dress on, cuz that's what people do, right?? 

this picture was missed in the fall, so here it is now...because i can do that, right?!  Joelle and her dad made the fall tours of her leading university choices.  here she is in a nursing lab, checking out the facilities, and little pretend newborn babies too! how is she even there, at this very important stage of life~ wasn't it just yesterday we were doing her hair for her in her favourite way~ "one ponytail at the side"??  sniff sniff.... 

Hudson had the delightful pleasure of "dressing with the team" during one of Jeff's weekend games not too long ago.  he dressed, skated and took shots during warm-up and even "won" the opening face-off which of course led to a break-away which then led to a shot that of course found the back of the net.  imagine his joy!?!? 

 right then and there, in his super vivid and confident mind, he was NHL all-star material and was loving every second of it.  one happy fella, let me tell you....

Sunday afternoon football, naps and snuggles, so refreshing.  

below, the wrestling room at SCITS.  this place has become such a regular meeting point for our entire family~ for Jeff as coach and all six kids who practice and train there, week after week.  hours and hours spent with friends and teammates on those red mats, learning technique while unknowingly shaping their character.  great combination.  Sarnia has a really fantastic group of dedicated leaders in the sport, and it's something special to see their tireless effort, week after week.  

out for an evening with this guy....always a highlight for me...so thankful we enjoy one another's company as much as we do.  couldn't imagine it any other way. 

and this concludes my random entry.  feeling caught up now with all relevant cell phone pics accounted for.  :)  

provincials

this past weekend Jeff, Hannah and Adam trekked up to Sudbury with the Bluewater Wrestling Club for the Provincial Wrestling Championships. 

 i hated not being there, although i didn't miss the weather they drove through and into!  one of the things that is hardest for me with being a larger family is when part of our crew needs to stay behind because of other commitments.  i understand it, i just don't like that part....i'm a die hard wrestling fan.  i love watching my kids on the mat.  

i love the whole experience~ just being there together with them, and it is tough when i can't attend.  maybe this sounds like i'm whining, i'm really not.  the six of us who stayed behind had a nice weekend too.  we rented a few movies, had some take-out, enjoyed a snugly baby, and made some yummy Superbowl treats as well.  it was all fine...as a side note, it always amazes me how untouched our bed appears on the mornings when i crawl out of it alone.  when it's just me, i settle in the very middle with a comfy pillow on each side of me, and i think i literally "cocoon" with very little movement the entire night.  barely need to straighten a thing when i wake, just a light pull up of the blankets and away i go!  plus, the freshly washed sheets are extra delightful (is it odd that i enjoy clean fresh sheets as much as i do??) so sleeping was not a problem at all this weekend.  and that's important because the waking hours were busy, as usual.  as the days progressed, however, it was so nice to receive updates from Jeff on how my wrestlers were doing.  he knows how much i hate to miss a tournament, so he's really great at sending me pictures and results as they occur.  of course, i have to share a few to capture these years forever.  cuz wow, they are whizzing by at breakneck speed....

above, Hannah in blue that match.  she finished second to the girl in red, taking home silver.  her dad said she wrestled smart and strong.

below, Adam in red, winning that match to secure bronze for the weekend. 

nice weekend.  proud dad and coach, right there.  livin' the dream, he'd say....

and a tournament is never complete without the element of adventure with teammates.  half the fun is sharing a hotel room with buddies, staying up late, eating out, and lots of shenanigans in between, which i'm sure i only know the half of....Adam and two friends were apparently hilarious on these diving platforms.  all three are pretty fearless on a wrestling mat, but introduce heights and it's a bit of a different story! :)  Adam got as high as third from the top, while they watched a tiny grade-eight girl effortlessly launch off the top board.  great for their grade-nine egos! haha...good times and memories.  there he is, a white speck with black shorts he'd borrowed (hadn't brought a suit because there wasn't a hotel pool), just before hitting the water and while the shorts were still fully on his little backside.  haha...

 beyond grateful for the physical health and wellness of my crew.  such a gift to engage in life through sport with able bodies and strong minds.  so thankful for opportunities such as these! 

this makes me smile

been awhile since i did one of my "this makes me smile" posts. i don't think this means there's been less to smile about~ i certainly hope that isn't the case!  i guess that's why i started this occasional post with a recurring theme, so i'd intentionally stop and capture the little moments that make the day-to-day grind more worthwhile, more beautiful, more joyous.  honestly, this picture doesn't seem really funny, unusual or earth shattering.  it's more the "back story" that goes with the picture that made it cause for a subtle grin.

last week AJ pulled this beauty from his backpack...his very own, made all by his eight-year-old self, beam bridge.

but first, let me explain...

AJ has been talking about bridges for weeks.  they've covered all angles at school, it seems.... i don't know if he's super engaged with all subjects taught in his grade three class, but when something interests him, it is pretty wonderful to see how attentive he is and how much of the information is being absorbed and processed later in the day as it spills over to us.  i really love it.  he was the same "chatty way" with the water cycle, the planets, and even basic language concepts that i would expect to seem much more boring to an eight year old boy (like homonyms?!?!)...so, usually at tuck-in time, or when we are out driving in the van and something triggers his memory, he will say things like "oh, that's a beam bridge!" or "today we learned about suspension bridges"...or, "do you know what a truss bridge is, Mom?" 

so, one day near the end of the "bridge" unit, AJ mentioned they were doing a bridge project.  he somewhat urgently relayed that each person in his class was charged with the task of making their own real bridge structure that must meet the criteria of being able to carry a load.  he stressed that they were to do it "all by themselves without help!!"  and also, "i don't know how i'm going to do it, Mom!!"  during bedtime prayers he asked God to help him make his bridge....my heart.....i reassured him to just be creative, and have fun with it (haha...coming from the mouth of the creatively challenged one!).

later in the week he said he'd finished it, and seemed genuinely proud of his accomplishment.  i asked how it held up ("it worked!!"), and whether he'd be able to bring it home and show me.  he promised to ask his teacher for permission to take it home.  

now, being totally honest here, after all the discussion and hype and nerves, i admit to being a wee bit underwhelmed when the finished product sat there in front of my eyes.  i tried to hide my disbelief and surprise to see that something so very simple had been an actual cause for concern.  still, however, i really loved his pride in the bridge, and seeing how happy he was to stack some books on top of his bridge and show how structurally sound it was. 

big shout out to AJ's awesome teacher, Mrs. F. she seems most capable and kind and i love how she teaches with hands-on lessons that i think AJ will remember for a good long while...even this simple "bridge project" was formative for AJ and a nice start of many projects to come.  in the end, i really think it was so much more than just about the bridge.  AJ showed courage, initiative, and gained confidence.  that's a pretty great outcome.  

not sure what his future holds, but it's sure going to be fun watching it unfold....maybe he will be a civil engineer one day?? ya never know!! :)