Friday, February 28, 2014

The last big push


“Life is simple. Everything happens for you, not to you. Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late. You don't have to like it... it's just easier if you do.” – Byron Katie


Somehow, we're still here.  Still together.  A family.  And that night earlier this week was a full circle kind of night.

Colton had the much anticipated end of the season parent-child game.  We expanded to include siblings this year.  And Nolan, coming off an intense practice of his own, still mustered the energy to come and skate.  

When Nolan's team was younger and had parent-child games, they were a little intense.  Nolan would get frustrated when Rick would shoot and score against Nolan's team.  He'd become feisty and aggressive if the Dads were scoring too much and I would be cringing in the stands, watching Nolan see red.  His competitive juices were flowing and he was not going to lose.  

Rick took photos the last year of Nolan's game, and stayed on the sidelines, to avoid all the conflict for Nolan. 

Enter Colton.  Maybe Colton would be excited to have Dad come and play?  But Colton wasn't too keen on having his Dad come down and shoot on him either. And then to think Nolan might fire his rocket shot against Colton?  Colton wasn't so sure about this night either.

But we've grown.  We've been stretched and made to fall apart in ways, that have helped us grow back together in even stronger ways.

Nolan kept his competitive spirit in check and simply had fun.  He split his time between the two teams- dishing the puck off to the kids when he played with them, helping them score, and scoring a few goals for the parents, when… well… they needed a little extra gas.  

The game is certainly more fun when the score is at least close.

And Colton was in his glory- making save after save- both from the parents and from the kids.  

We left that night, fully feeling our family-ness.  

Nolan has one more big regional tourney here in town this weekend.  We have team dinners, and breakfasts, and a tourney to run and lots of hockey to play and watch this weekend.

Ummm- so how did I, the OLDEST of the family,  become the second smallest all of a sudden?  



All the kids with their Dad's and Coaches and siblings.







A few more treasures have come through my door as of late…

Thank you Jennifer- what a sweet surprise.  The i-clips- are the coolest thing ever- and the sweet card along with the chocolate made for a day brightener for sure!  


Karen and I both were intrigued when our friend Hilary wrote about "Zentangle."  The Zentangle website states "Anything is possible... one stroke at a time."  

But you have to check out the link and go see for yourself how cool this looks.  So Karen, graciously sent me my own doodle book and the perfect pens to try!  

Thank you!

I can't wait to try!!




We giggled when we saw the rooster cards that came with this sweet note… ahem… and there may have been a plate of cookies that came with… that disappeared in record time.  I never even got a photo of them at all.  Thank you Greta and Angie! 


Which leads to the last delightfully delicious treat to arrive- some scotcharoo bars.  And they never made it past the camera lens either.  Straight to our stomachs and so worth it!  

Thank you to the anonymous person that thought of us- you made our day!

We've made it.  As of this morning mom is 100% out of her apartment and we made it through the check-out process unscathed. 

We've donated and given away much, whatever mom would agree to.  Stuffed animals to the kids.  A chair to her friend.  A coffee pot to the community room, etc. Traces of her going for good causes.

The rest of her things?

75% of her is now in our hallways, our kitchen, her old house, and in all of our cars… everywhere we can store a piece or two for now.  

We still have some work to do.  But mom has officially left the apartment building. 

It was a bittersweet night, driving out of the lot for the last time.  Thinking of Dad and the 3 days he lived at the apartment before he passed on.  And now mom, having moved on as well, residing in a new room, surrounded by as much of her "home" as we could fit in her space.  

~All shall be well~




“Life is simple. Everything happens for you, not to you. Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late. You don't have to like it... it's just easier if you do.” – Byron Katie

So much easier friends, if you do.  



















16 comments:

  1. Oh, wow - look at your big man-children. Your oldest totally took me by surprise - he has certainly grown!

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  2. I am so happy that the family's time on the ice was a good one. The photo of the four of you is precious. To have seen these young boys grow up into fine-looking young men brings joy to my heart. Great family photo.
    Praying that your Mama continues to feel peace in her new place. May her heart be happy and her mind be at rest in her new home.
    Have a blessed weekend, Vicky.
    May our Lord continue to hug you close and pave your path with friends and loved ones who share your joy and love of life.

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  3. So beautifully written :) so fun to see you surrounded by your BIG men...soon you will be the littlest :) LOVED LOVED your beginning and ending quote..just what I needed to hear myself! Much love to you Vicky! Hugs and prayers..hugs and prayers!

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  4. Ha! You are a bit of a shrimp there, Vicky. I know the feeling. Mine are also closing in on me, too. That Hershey's bar and the thought of Scotcharoos are making me drool. What sweet blessings. Enjoy the sun today!

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  5. Oh, I just adore you!! Thank for always bringing joy and gratitude and perspective!

    Goodness, Nolan looks like young man - not a young teenager! You guys are a beautiful family!

    Have a great weekend!
    Lots of love to you sweet friend!
    xoxo

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  6. Well done, getting your Mom moved out. What a huge job that must have been.

    The hockey night pics are great. Yikes, your boys are growing up :-)

    Thanks for sharing these good times with us, Vicky - and God bless you all.

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  7. Gosh what a lovely family photo
    Your boys are growing into fine young men vicky.

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  8. Lovely, lovely family photo, Tiny. LOL! Yep, won't be long until the other one passes you up!

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  9. Ohhhhh, I love this family picture. Your big boy is SO BIG!! I remember when that happened to our son--watching him become a man.

    Your quote is exquisite. Thank you.

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  10. Dear sweet friend,
    That picture of you and Rick and the boys is startling. Nolan's height and body build and the look on his face...I recognize that look. Part of Nolan has already left being a boy. He is in the process of becoming a young man. And Colton, growing too with his heart still at home, especially with his Momma. And you and your hubby, the glue and home-base for your wonderful family.

    In our home, pictures like this are "pause and take it in" pictures. The kind of pictures you look back on and say with a new understanding,"Ah, that's when he got his wings."

    I love the song with the lyrics...
    To everything...turn, turn, turn
    And a time for every purpose unto Heaven.

    Things are turning for your Momma with a new season and for your family.
    May this new season be a blessed time of LOVE, PEACE, JOY and relying on Him!

    God Bless, sweet Vicky.
    Love, Linda

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  11. So happy to see you are a Byron Katie fan. So much joy in your pictures and post.

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  12. I love your family photo. Your boys are really growing Vicky. Thinking of your mom and hoping she is adjusting well. Have a good week Vicky.

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  13. Just gotta say that what struck me first was how grown up and sorta chiseled Nolan is looking in that family photo. Good grief he looks 20! Now, HOW does that happen? And I even HAVE one of these boy creatures who will be 19 in a week or so. Still can't figure that one out either. Glad you had a good family game and made great memories.

    Don't envy you the mom move. Can't even fathom. Mine has been in her place for 38 years and we so wish she would let us rent a dumpster and get rid of some of the big things around there that really need to go. She's on four acres. I cringe each time I consider it so with everything you've had to do I nod and say, "Oh my......." Love you, friend.

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  14. Just catching up dear Vicky and read this post. So much fun actually as I relived hockey moments with you and parent/child games! Jeff was always coaching someone so we had some of the same dynamics. And then the Zentangle. I've never heard of it officially, but my mother-in-law who passed 3 years ago from pancreatic cancer, did binders of them. She had no name for them, it was just her "artist" work. She put the grandkids name in some of them. So glad we saved them. It looks like something I might attempt!! All my love to you!!

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