i believe

beauty, energy, tears, anticipation, excitement, sweaty armpits, and a song that i could not get out of my head - this is what i will take away from the 2010 winter olympics in vancouver.

i desperately wanted the girls to have photos of themselves in this place so that they would know that they were here, that they experienced, that they were apart of something historical. maybe even that said photos would transpire to desires and passions, a drive even, to be athletes themselves. that i would be the parent in the stands, that it would be their name announced to the world that they were the champion. such were my romantic dreams.

reality came when a wednsday brought sickness for little penny.

then came thursday which attacked scott.

friday again for penelope.

saturday had my name on it.

sunday was a free day.

monday came for both sophie and my mom.

tuesday we cleaned and laundered, wiped out buckets and ate toast.

we were a beautiful smelling family.

my desire to share the olympics were put on standby.

then a message from friends in calagry. they were driving out just for this occasion. we would join them, without the girls and spend the night in the reality that CTV had brought me for so many nights.

welcome to vancouver 2010; brought to us by the hudson bay company

count down to the olympics, now it counts up from the beginning. said friends, shauna and scott kelly, and shauna - note the Olympic rings in the background. the cauldron. amazing really, you could feel the heat from it. the medal standings on the day we were there. a little official restaurant participation. walking the streets of downtown vancouver didn't watch any other feed than this one. hard to see by scott is infront of pam here. sunday; game day.

spent again with the franks as well as kelly and trevor.

we sat with many others at the langley events centre and watched history being made. dude, we just made history!

and this was our olympic experience. i kinda miss the "i believe" song being sung multiple times a day. i miss brain being apart of our living room every night. i miss watching sophie and penny trying to dance to the figure skaters.

best line by a three year old during figure skating, "ohhh daddy, this is the part where she turns into a beautiful mermaid."

yes, these were our experiences.

information

as the mom, i am not always told all that goes on.

this day i was simply let known that they were going on an adventure.

sophie dressed them both.

i hope they had a great time.

treasures

there are those who the Lord gives us as treasures, as blessings. they bring a little extra beauty into our lives. they giggle with us and share secrets we probably shouldn't share. they teach us what it looks like to love. i was handed such a treasure in college. i was wearing blue cord pants and a black fleece shirt, she was way too cool for me, but she loved me anyway.

these days we dry tears, play hide and go seek, introduce school ideas, take away toys, give time outs, and love with all our hearts. between us there are five beautiful little children, age four and younger. our greatest privilege - watching them love each other, watching them share a little piece of their heart with each other.

by age; charlee, sophie, bodhi, penelope, jane when building forts one must take into consideration the dangers you may encounter. these are them, these are our days together. they are treasured, they are beautiful, work goggles and all.

dear big beard

my most handsome husband,

you are the most beautiful man i know. of course your character and love are beyond any other, but really your physical beauty is what i first noticed, and continue to notice...at least until lately. i love you with all my heart, i really do, but your beard is gross. i wait, no i long, for the end of this month when the beard will come off...and yet i dread the next as the mustache stays. april will be good, oh yes, april will be good!

Friendships

C.S. Lewis says of friendship, "Friendship arises out of mere Companionship when two or more of the companions discover that they have in common some insight or interest or even taste which the others do not share and which, till that moment, each believed to be his own unique treasure (or burden)."

i believe i am blessed by the friendships that i have. i do not claim to have many, but i do claim to have beautiful friends.

lorriane is amongst those i treasure. we have captured memories together that i wouldn't trade for the world. i have climbed mountains with her and sung of the Lords goodness from their peeks. we have explored the depths of caves and the faces of rocks. we have shared tears and laughters, she knows my heart and for this i am thankful.

i can only pray that our girls have an opportunity to be blessed by friendships as we have been.

on sunday i took the girls to visit her at her home...the "blue moon".

we shared lunch together, grilled cheese and tomato soup. the girls were enamored with other boaters and being on deck. we walked across stanely park to throw some rocks in the water, to enjoy the mist and to be in each others company. a final look across the bay at vancouver. for me, it is good for my heart to spend time with friends i cherish. as i drove home i could feel tears welling up, i have been so blessed. i am thankful beyond words. i am honored to be called her friend, to have known her for ten years, to have shared life with her.

"The Friendship is not a reward for our discrimination and good taste in finding one another out. it is the instrument by which God reveals to each the beauties of all the others."

-The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis.