'love' weekend

Valentines.

Universal day of 'love'.

My first date with my husband 18 years ago.

The day my mom-in-law passed away 6 years ago.

...

Love - a much misconstrued word.

I could do a whole word study on it! The Greeks had a much better way of defining it then our English language for sure. There is brotherly love, parental love, marital love, and God's love - simplified anyway

...

A friend had used the term Living Intentionally a few months back and it has stuck with me. A large part of my intentional living involves how I want to raise my children, last month it involved taking the kids to do things special things - cross country skiing at the Boreal Center, down hill skiing at Little Smokey, skating to the arena Sunday evenings...

This months 'challenge' came from a deep longing to connect, strengthen and deepen my relationship with my beautiful children.

This last weekend it came across in having sleepovers every night for 4 nights, with a few of them overlapping ...

It was good to see my eldest spending time with girlfriends. She seems more open lately and I love seeing her smiling (and mischieveous) face. I hope she will continue to 'blossom' well.

My Christine is in the midst of struggles now, and I can only pray I will be a wise tool in our 'Gardener's' hands as she also develops into the woman she is destined to be.

My son also has some of his own 'thorns' to work through -

- huh, I didn't mean for so many gardening metaphors to come forth! must be close to spring! -

I want to meditate and ponder on some creative ways to love my kids in the last part of this short month - and I want to Intentionally laugh too -

Jesus, You are the author of my joy. May my eyes be opened with childlike wonder and joy at the blessings You give!

And to top off this 'weekend of love' - my mom came Saturday night and is here till Thursday.

If anyone has been an example of pure love, parental love, unconditional and patient love, it is my mom.

I find many people staying the same age over the last 20 years, and at times it hits me how fast time is flying. My mom isn't 40, she'll be 70 in September. She works harder then most anyone I know; and with a passionate attitude that if it is worth doing at all, you do it with your whole heart as for God. Anyone in the Lac St.Anne district would contest to that fact I'm sure. Yet now she finds herself frustrated at her slowing pace and the aches that her body is feeling. Between a couple bad falls cleaning the school, and the floor stripper that soaked her feet the first year there cleaning (she literally shoveled the old wax off!), her circulation in her legs bother her alot. I will give her a massage and try to rub her legs for her and the whole time she is feeling guilty because 'You're the busy mom, I should be doing this for you.' - silly, stubborn woman! (said with endearment)

A few weeks ago she heard 'something' in my voice on the phone and set out on yet another love quest for her child. She painstakingly built a binder of information and recipes that I can eat with my allergies and that are low gylcemic - not a small task! She came to my home with bags of special ingredients and a mini blender for me. I have been enjoying smoothies made with coconut milk, hemp milk; quinoa with asparagus, salmon baked on the BarBQ, apple crisp with a tapioca flour, and cookies made with the same flour, coconut cream, bananas and zucchini!

Last night I received a letter from an insurance company and my weight has once again jumped to the surface of my emotions and I had, yet another, melt down in front of my mom. What a tiring topic this is. Yet how patient, loving and helpful she has been throughout the years - since grade school! She listened lovingly as I poured out my frustration and fears with tears streaming down my face. She didn't give me a list of things to do, she has done all she can, and as hard as it is for her to understand, she tries to.

I love my mom.