It’s a Small World Afterall

Tags

distant cousins, family, postaday2011

So, a funny story.

A couple months ago Abbie ran a card for a customer at the coffee stand and noticed his last name is the same as ours. She commented that she’d never met an Atkins she wasn’t related to. He responded that he’d never met an Atkins that he WAS related to. They small talked and she found out he’s from Eastern Washington.

Last night Abbie was relaying this story to Rick and I. Rick asked Abbie if she realized her Grandpa is from Goldendale, which though technically is South-Central, people like us, on the coast, consider it Eastern…She immediately sent Michael Atkins a facebook message asking where he is from. You know where this is going, right?

Turns out Rick’s Dad’s cousin Terrance who has a winery in Goldendale is Michael’s Dad’s Uncle.

What a small world.

Welcome to the family Michael! We’ll have you over to dinner real soon.

My Mother In Law

Tags

birhtdays, family, Mother-In-Law, postaday2011

Yesterday was my Mother-in-law’s birthday. We celebrated on Sunday along with Matt and Laura’s birthdays.

Mom loves birthdays!  Doesn’t matter who’s it is.  She loves being part of it.  The meal, the cake, the gifts…and she doesn’t miss anyone’s.

So, although we celebrated on Sunday I feel terrible that I forgot to call her yesterday on her birthday.

So I called her tonight and told her I love her.

And wished her a belated happy birthday.

 

(on Mother’s day with her traditional “mom” picture and Danny standing in for Marty)

It seems the older I get, the more I have in common with this woman. She is a mother-in-law. And so am I. She is a grandma. And I am a grandma. She is getting older. I am getting older. Ok, that one doesn’t count. We’ve both always been getting older. But with age and new seasons of life come wisdom and understanding, and relationships change, hopefully for the better.

I’m so blessed and so thankful to be in this family and on this journey with this woman.

My Mother-in-law.

The Glad Game

Tags

family, pollyanna, postaday2011, the glad game

Remember this?

Last Spring my friend Debbie wrote a post about playing The Glad Game. She wrote it way better than I ever could, so I won’t try to duplicate it.

But I’ve thought about it all day since posting my totally downer blog post this morning on my phone from the bus. (You don’t have to scroll down and read it, trust me, it was a downer. Kinda comical, but still, a downer.)

My point: I’ve thought about Debbie’s post all day, and about Pollyanna, and about how much I have to be thankful for, even if a stupid spider bite kept me awake, there’s a cougar prowling around near my house, and I lost some really cute pictures.

So, let’s play the Glad Game.

I’m glad for everything in this picture:

(photo by Amy Mason)

I’m glad for Rick. How many Dads get to officiate and marry their own children?

I’m glad for Caleb and Hannah and Nora. Such a beautiful family full of joy and laughter.

I’m glad for my Abbie. My lifelong friend who’s whole life is in front of her.

I’m glad for Josh and Abby and the sweet new baby they will bring to our family in a couple months.

So much to be thankful for.

So much to be glad about.

(thanks for the reminder Debbie)

Five on Friday

Tags

family, postaday2011

Five People I love and why:

(ok, 7, but who’s counting?  It’s friday and that’s my theme, and this is my blog)

Caleb.
My first born. Funny. Kind. Smart. This man-child of mine amazes me. He’s the most devoted and loyal person you could meet. I’m humbled that I had anything to do with him. Caleb embodies Ephesians 5:25, ‘Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…’  He excels in sarcasm, which I don’t condone.  But he makes me laugh like none other; especially if he’s in the same room with his brother.  I try not to laugh at them however.  Better not to encourage them.

Hannah.
Caleb’s wife. I know I’ve said this before on my blog, but it bears (bares? no, bears, I think. Editor?) repeating. Caleb’s dad and I could not have chosen better for him if it were up to us. Hannah is sweet and loving, seeks God, devoted to Nora…I LOVE watching her with her daughter. I tear up thinking of it. She is such a blessing to us.  Her only downfall?  She’s possibly more sarcastic than Caleb.

Nora.
Um…Really? Do you want to get me started?? Nora has quickly become the heart of our family. Like her Dad, she makes us laugh (and she knows it), and like her Mom, she shows care and concern and is smarter than the rest of us put together.

Josh.
My second born. Middle child. Takes after me and my side of the family, Tate, through and through (sorry, Atkins’s); People have so many different views of Josh, but let me tell you the reality of him. He is smart as a whip (whatever that means), funny, loving, nurturing, adorable. He can seem closed off, but then out of the blue, opens up and shares from his heart and becomes transparent. He leaves clothes, books, music, belongings of all descriptions around the house. He’s rarely on time for an event, but when he arrives, he’s so loving and lovable you can’t hold it against him.  When he DOES arrive…you do not want to be in the same room with him and  his brother.  Sarcasm abounds.  And you lose.

Abby.
Josh’s fiance’. This girl is a heart on a sleeve. She openly embraces everyone she meets, laughs constantly with a laugh that sounds like tinkle bells. (Don’t ask. I was searching for an adjective.) Refers to me as her ‘new mum’ (she’s canadian), keen intellect, beautiful loving heart. She adores my son the way we all want our children to be adored.  Plus, she doesn’t appear to have the sarcasm gene.

Abbie.
The baby of our family, only girl, princess. Abbie is smart and brave. She’s beautiful and kind, and displays wisdom beyond her years. Her whole life she has championed the under-dog. She stands up for the down-trodden and gives to the needy. She is my style guru, my hairdresser, the one I send phone-camera pics to of my outfit to get advice, and she never steers me wrong. She is my closest friend.  No sarcasm detected.

Rick.
My knight in shining armor, the love of my life and my closest companion. He makes me laugh, he is honest and loyal and true, and he serves me as Christ served the church and I love him more every day.
Rick gave me a valentine card that says,

“Friendship is where you
Laugh Louder,
Land softer,
Dream braver,
Reach higher,
Live stronger,
See clearer,
Breathe easier….Together”
Everyone already knows that this is my Hunka Hunka Burrnin’ Love.

Really, these are all just descriptions of people I love. The real reason I love each and every one of them is that

They are mine.

Happy Five on Friday.

Warning: Not for the Faint of Heart

Tags

family, postaday2011, surprises

I’d like to think that Rick could trust me to act appropriately in a crisis, or to an unexpected surprise.  I’d like to think that he could know that if shocked by the unexpected I would have presence of mind to show a subdued amount of shock, combined with a demur and doe-eyed grace and he could say proudly, “Wow!  My wife is a rock!”

Last night’s events, however prove otherwise.  And lucky for me there were only 3 human witnesses and 2 canine witnesses, so I could try to get away with altering the story for my own benefit and reputation.  The dogs would never tell.  But since one of the witnesses is my son, I fear I must come clean.

Last night Abby Schrag, Josh’s fiance’ was coming to dinner.  This is not strange.  She has come to dinner once by herself, and come for  a glass of wine once.  And I’ve had tea at her house recently.  So, when she was persistent about wanting to have dinner last night, I wasn’t alarmed, suspicious, or anything otherwise. In fact, I sort of wanted to postpone.  I was tired and talked out at work, and wanted to go home and watch Parenthood and go to bed early.  I did neither of those things.

When she arrived the dogs alerted me that someone was here.  I opened the door and just as she stepped over the threshold, a bearded man charged the porch and startled me, nay, terrified me to the point I let out a scream, the likes of which you would hear in a very cheesy horror movie.  I sounded like THIS I know you think this is an exaggeration, but I assure you it is not.

And once my brain tried to register that I knew this man, and that this man was none-other than my son Josh, home 2 weeks earlier than expected, I simply could not stop screaming. So if you want to know what it was like at my house last night, play that sound over and over for 5 straight minutes, add 2 Australian Shepherds barking, and prancing around me, and you might get an idea of how I might respond if you throw something at me that I am completely not prepared for.

Once Rick had bounded up the stairs to the rescue not knowing what was causing the screaming, or even WHO was doing the screaming (he’s never actually heard me scream before, I can at least be proud to say) and once the hysteria had died down, and I could get a grip on the fact that Josh was here, in the flesh, safe and sound, we poured wine all around, and talked and talked and talked until much later than I’d planned on staying up.

Then this morning we picked Josh up and showed up at Abbie’s coffee stand. She responded much more appropriately than I did.

Every time I watch that little video I get a lump in my throat.

Only 2 questions really remain: What on earth did the neighbors think? And why did they not come running to find out what was wrong with me?

Pondering Family

Tags

family

So, this blog is about family. I know, I throw photoshoots in here and there, and I brag about blog-world celebrity sitings, and I talk about dogs and friends and food and events we attend and wine and lots of other stuff, but the truth is, I and my blog are about family. My family. Or, more accurately, OUR family.

Last week I spent a TON of time thinking about the men in my life, the fathers in my life who are my number one guys, my Dad, Rick’s Dad, Rick, and Caleb. When you sit down to a computer and start focusing on the positive things about a person and writing about those qualities that you love and cherish, it makes all the other “stuff” so small and unimportant.

You know what I’m talking about. The Stuff. The stuff about each of us that drives us all nuts. We all have those things about us…I know for sure some of the things about me that drives each of these guys nuts, and there’s probably more I’m not aware of (I’m ok keeping it that way, for the record). And if I wanted to, I could list The Stuff about my men that makes me nuts.

But I choose not to because:
A. I choose to focus on the good things.
A.1. Ok, I don’t always. You can refrain from commenting now. I’m trying.
B. I made a commitment to myself that I would show people in a good light through my blog, whether in word or photo.
C. Rick has a blog now and he knows how to use it.
D. Payback is a B…ummer.

But, I digress. (I’ve always wanted to say that on my blog. This seemed like a good spot.)

When we begin listing and pondering the things about our people that we love and admire our hearts begin to open up and grow towards them. We forget offenses and squabbles. We become better people ourselves. I suppose the converse is true. When we focus on the negative things about the people in our lives, that’s all we can see and we forget all the goodness and kindness and humor and joy. And, instead of becoming better people we become bitter people.

Writing about these amazing fathers was a good exercise for me and made me start looking at everyone through the eyes of a blogger.  Made me realize there are so many more men in my life that have had an impact on me beyond just fathering me, my husband and my children.  Men like Matt, Marty, Gary, Mark, Jim, Marc, Father-to-be Tim, Dick, etc. etc. etc.  We all have these wonderful men in our lives, and I, for one am thankful for a day to recognize them beyond our normal appreciations.

So, on that note, here are a few pictures from Father’s Day:

Now THAT looks like Father’s Day

Nora with “Cuncle Philp”. We decided Cousin Philip sounds weird, but he’s not technically her uncle, therefore…

Lael, Abbie, and Megan hamming it up for the camera

More of Nora and her Cuncles Philip and Paul:

We had such a fun time and having Phil and Paul surprise us made it just perfect!

Un-A-Bridged

Tags

family, Katmandu, moving, Nepal

Don’t ask me.  No idea why I chose that title.  Except that I’m writing about my sister-in-law, Bridged, and I was looking for a clever title.  (Unless you’re a blogger, you have no idea, the pressure to come up with a quippy, catchy, clever title for you posts; it’s exhausting.)

Some background:

Bridged is married to Marty.

Marty is Rick’s youngest brother.

They live here in Bellingham.

For 9 more weeks.

Then they will live in Katmandu, Nepal.

That’s right, KATMANDU, NEPAL!  Sounds a lot like TimBukTu to me!  And I’ve been putting off talking about it or writing about it because, well, it puts that little lump in my throat, and my eyes start stinging and watering.

I don’t know much about Nepal.  I only know it is a LONG way away.

If you’ve read my blog for very long, you know that we do stuff with Marty and Bridged.  We have dinners, we watch movies, we go wine-tasting.  We drop in for coffee and stay for pickles.  They try to get us to go out dancing at 9:30 at night.  We say no.

In preparing for their new life far away from family Bridged is learning to use a digital SLR camera.  Hopefully this week she will start her blog, one way they will be able to share with us their new life in a new country.

There, see?  That wasn’t so hard.  I didn’t even shed a tear!

Piece-a-cake.

Family Unit

Tags

Babies, family

Last Sunday we had a family dinner to say goodbye to Josh and Phoebe before they left for Alaska.  (I’m happy to report they made it safe and sound and are settling in).

Nora is turning into quit a little wiggle-bug.  Here’s my attempt to get a candid of her and her Mommy and Daddy on the sofa:

Grandpa just walked by.

Now He’s outside. I’m hungry.

I’m cute and coy and know how to flirt.

Pay attention to MEEEE…..

Just take that shot please. I’m getting tired.

Guess Who Came to Grandma’s House

Tags

Babies, family, reunions

And Guess Who Came Home From Alaska: