Blessings of a Multicultural Ward

Yesterday was our ward Christmas party.  We had a great turnout with lots and lots of food.  Surprisingly, more food than desserts.  Which was okay.  We had the usual Christmas fare - turkey, ham, potatoes, mixed veggies, stuffing etc., but we also had a nice surprise.  Due to the number of Korean, Japanese and Phillipino people in our ward, we also got to have homemade noodle dishes (what we would call Chinese food, even though not one of them is Chinese).  The kids were thrilled because rice noodles and shanghai noodles are one of their favorite things, and these people know how to cook them.  No one even took potatoes.  We can have those any old time!  Someone also brought lasagna, which was a change from the usual starches.   (We also have Italian members, not to mention a Scottish family and a woman from Britain).  What a fun dinner!  We sat with a Philippino woman who gave Madi the leftover noodles she brought because she knew how much she loved them.  While we were excited by noodles, she was excited to have potatoes!  Along with the food, we also got to hear 'Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer' in Korean and French.  It was a lot of fun.

On the same note, there is a woman in our ward who grew up in Ottawa.  I was mentioning that Steve is going to Toronot West and she was so excited for him because it is apparently the most multicultural, diverse mission in Canada.  We are second or something.  So, looks like Steve will get to enjoy some of these fun dinners and amazing people too.  We have really enjoyed getting to know all the oriental people in our ward.  They are very soft-spoken and gentle, but honest to a fault, and-maybe because they have to work harder at the language-they always remember the kids names and make sure to say hello and give a compliment.  Someone else told me that Steve will get to pick up lots of phrases from all sorts of languages out that way.  Maybe he's going more foreign than he realizes...

We do really love our ward here though.  It's kind of nice being in a ward with only twenty primary kids.  Everyone gets to know your family pretty quick, and they are all willing to lend a hand when needed.  Dan was sick at home last week and I wouldn't have even made it to the car after church if it wasn't for two priesthood who chased the boys (Clayton) down and strapped them in.  All in good fun, of course.  I really appreciate it because we don't have all of you out here, and they need people who act like aunts and uncles and grandparents.  My visiting teaching partner is about Mom's age and her kids are all grown up and she loves to help the kids whenever she sees them.  Spencer has a nursery leader, Sister Cho, who barely speaks a word of english, but always gives him big hugs and tells him she loves him.  And I must hear at least once a Sunday how 'beautiful' our children are and how glad they are to have them in the ward.  You need to hear that once in a while when you have 1/5 primary kids sitting on your bench in Sacrament meeting not being the example of reverence.

We also have another family in our ward who joined the church about 3 or 4 years ago and is in a similar family situation as we are.  They have three children  - 3, 2, and 1- and I love to watch them because I can sympathize with them.  They like to watch us and know they are not alone.  Their oldest, the boy, loves to run around with ours.  But their middle daughter, for some reason, has made me her second choice when mom is busy with the baby.  She sat with us more than them last night, and would only eat what I fed her.  She's adorable.  She reminds me of Mya- very petite and blonde and quiet.  She also loves Madi, and followed her around most of the night.  What fun!

Anyway, those are my ramblings on our very diverse, wonderful ward.  It is a real bright spot out here and we are learning a lot.  We are always impressed that our kids really don't see race or culture.  Our blessing living in Okotoks was that our kids learned to look past differences because we lived by Andy and Dan, who both deal with disorders like Autism.  Our blessing here is that they are learning to love people from all walks of life.  And so are we. 

A Barrel of Monkeys

Two funny stories to brighten up the colder days:

1. Malcolm and Dan were playing together.  Dan had him counting from 1-5, then running and jumping into his arms.  To make it a little more challenging, Dan asked him to count backwards, then run and jump.  Dan started counting, "5...4..".  Malcolm turned around to face "backwards", and counted "1...2...". 

2.  Dan was driving Malcolm and Spencer home from Superstore yesterday.  It was around 1:30, far too late for Spencer to start sleeping or he would just be up all night.  We're phasing out naps, otherwise we have a 21/2 year old up til 10 or 11.  As luck would have it, he started to doze just as Dan passed the 7-11.  Quickly thinking that he might be able to keep him awake with the promise of a few penny candies, Dan veered into the 7-11 parking lot.  He jumped out and went to Spencer's door, opening it and asking him if he wanted a treat.  Spencer raised his face towards him with his eyes closed and said," Yes, Dad, yes!"  Dan asked him again because he thought he was still sleeping, but he could tell Spen was straining to look at him.  Spenny answered again, but this time explained in a very worried tone, "Yes, Dad, but my eyes won't open!  I can't open my eyes!" 

These two keep us laughing, but the attached picture shows them demonstrating saying a prayer for a book we were making.  I imagine the face Spencer is pulling is the same one he would have turned towards Dan when he found it impossible to open his eyes.  Happy morning!

Hooray for everyone!

I have yet to say something to certain members of my fam-

CONGRATULATIONS!

Steve - we are praying for you every day and we are all so thrilled to think that you will be spending two years in Toronto West.  At least you'll get fairly normal food there.  Dan's sister lives there, and her husband is in the bishopric.  She said if you get into their region she'll take you out for a nice dinner, so here's hoping.  Wish I could be there to go to the temple with you, but I guess I've missed everyone else's too, so we'll all have to go together when you get home.

Mandy & Scott - Word is you're having a boy.  Lucky you!  I don't say that sarcastically, I really mean it.  Even though they are rough and tumble and crazy busy, they are a lot of fun.  A lot less drama.  And I'm glad to finally get a few boy cousins for my little hooligans.  There aren't any on the other side, so it's up to you girls.

Tiffany & Chad - I'm so happy for you.  I hope things are going well.  We are also hoping you have a boy, or two.  Hee hee.  I do not wish twins on you, though everyone seems to have suspicions.  I just hope you feel good and get a healthy little one. 

I don't know when I'll get to see either of these babies, or Tyler for that matter, but send lots of pictures.  I love to hear about all the bright, exciting things happening for all of you.  Steve, you can rest assurred that you will not be the only one who won't be around for everything for the next couple of years.  Maybe I can rig a trip in the summer...here's to dreaming.  Miss you all terribly.  I suppose listening to Christmas music doesn't help me.  I'm turning into mom and Grandpa, crying over silly things.  Wait, I was always like that.  Still, these tears are tears of joy.  Love you all, and good luck.

Lice, lice are NOT nice

Madison has brought home lice, so I have spent the week doing laundry, bleaching, vacuuming and pulling/combing nits out of hair.  The first time took me 3 hours, and yesterday it was one.  I guess I'm getting faster.  Of course, the second time there was only a few to find.  Disgusting!  I know it's just a normal childhood thing and we're not supposed to feel bad or unclean, but you can't help wondering how this could have been avoided.  I do have one suggestion - stop having 4-5 children share a cubby to hang their coats at school.  She got this from someone there, and I will never know who, but I have told her she needs to put her jacket into her backpack to avoid them that way.  Then again, she is seven and putting heads together is no rare occurrence I'm sure.  Help!! 

What a disaster.  They have a pesticide shampoo to kill the things, but they have yet to come up with something that can unattach the nits from the shaft of the hair so you can simply wash them away.  Not so great because the trouble is if you miss even one it can hatch and start the whole process over again.  I must accept that for the next month Madison and I will sit on the couch and do lice checks every night and regularly after that because who knows if the person carrying it at school will catch or take care of the problem.  Talk about Mommy/daughter time.  Ha Ha.  We watched the Christmas Shoes the first day.  Madi boo-hooed and then had to make sure I was crying too to make her feel better.  I tried to shed a few tears for her.  Mostly I was crying about the lice....

The bad with the good

Things have been kind of rough here lately.  It rains 6 days out of 7, which wouldn't be so bad if the sun ever shone in between.  It's expensive and busy and hard to make friends because our ward covers an area the size of Lethbridge, so no one lives remotely in the same areas.  Our car needed major unexpected repairs and our washer drained into the bathroom sink and overflowed everywhere.  Dan's schedule has been a bit crazy because they are working out the kinks for the transfer students, so it looks like we might be here an extra semester and still need to work out a 3 months practicum afterwards (as long as we can actually find a certified Rec Therapist to do it with).  I can't get work and we live in a very small space that can seem very confining when the weather doesn't agree.

But just when things seem to be oppressive and unbearable, I am reminded of all the blessings we have.  Driving home from Langley last week the sun came out and the snow-capped mountains were there, clear as a bell.  Then Clayton piped up, "Mom, aren't you glad we get to live here for a while?  We have the ocean on one side, the mountains on the other, and lots of bridges and lots of trains."  What a positive perspective in a dreary month.  We are lucky to have this experience.  So many people don't get the opportunity to finish their schooling once they have four children.  We have seen and done lots of things we otherwise would only have experienced as tourists, if ever.  We go to the beach in November and play in the sand.  We fish for crab.  We will be here when the temple is opened and we are seeing what it's like to live where the gospel is definitely a minority.  Dan has a job that allows him to choose his hours based on his school schedule, not his school schedule based on his work hours.  I get to stay home with our kids and we still manage to make ends meet.  We get to learn how to love each other even in a small space and, hopefully, realize that our family really can be our best friends.  We definitely have to depend on each other more and learn to compromise.

This is mostly for me, I think.  Just getting my thoughts down.  But that's where we're at out here on the West Coast.  Miss you all terribly, but trying to find the silver lining in all the "experience" we're getting.

Student of the month/Salmon returning home to spawn

Clayton was awarded a student of the month certificate for doing well in grade one.  He was pretty excited to receive it at the assembly.  It's nice to hear your child's teacher give such positive complements.  Or, rather, nice to know he's a great kid when he's not at home fighting with his brothers and trying to get out of work (ha ha).

Also around that time we saw salmon swimming upstream in the creek by our house.  It's a very bizarre phenomenon when you actually see it in real life, not on t.v.  They rest a bit in little pools along the way, then gear up for the big jump against the current.  It looks exhausting, but extremely cool.

Trick-or-Treat!

And here are the costume choices for this year - a hula girl, black spidey, batman and undecided.  Spen started out as Spiderman but stripped that off before we got out the door and ended up taking a sword and wearing a shield on his back, which he took off after about three houses.  In the end he was a kid in jammies getting free candy.  (He's got it figured out!)

This was about our nicest Halloween ever.  Madi even took her jacket off.  No one was freezing cold and we only had to go to one complex to get too much candy.  The snow at Halloween might actually be good for something - at least they get too cold and want to go home!  It was a lot of fun, especially for Mac and Spen who haven't really had the chance to grasp the whole idea of Trick-or-Treating yet.  All done for another year...