A time for change

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all you fellow Canadians out there!

This week end was a time for change.

First, we FINALLY changed the light fixture in our bathroom. For those that have been to our home, you know what a treat that is. I know I should have taken a before picture but Dave and Nicole got going on the project before I was aware, and there wasn't a picture before because I'm not stupid, and didn't want any evidence of it "hanging" around. ( and again, those that have been to my home, know that that old fixture was literally just hanging there, and it wasn't a chandelier)

Why we waited so long to change the fixture I don't know...

I finally made some cookies to Thank the Millers for giving us their left over sod.

On Sunday morning, I woke up and saw that it was snowing! The beautifully warm Spring that we were having ended "overnight", we're not ready for that change. It continued to snow off and on throughout the day but the roads and sidewalks were warm and so no snow piled up.




We went to the Yale Ward for the first time today (at 9:00am instead of 1:00). In the past we have have gone to the Yale 2nd Ward but, over the years the Yale 1st and 2nd Wards have decreased in number and so the two have combined. It was a big change from sitting in Sacrament meeting with maybe half the Chapel filled to sitting there with the Chapel full and people sitting in the foyer. AND it was a change to have Blade sitting quietly(relatively) throughout the meeting. However, it was kind of humorous during the closing prayer when Blade was standing and then laid back on my lap and he must have moved the wrong way because all of a sudden there was a THUD as he fell on his back onto the floor. He didn't make a sound verbally so he was okay, but Nicole and I couldn't help but snicker. It'll be different to have a "normal" sized Ward but I'm sure we'll adjust (we'll just have to make sure that someone skips out of class early so that we can get a row in the chapel...)

Because we had the "whole" day left now that we were home at 12:00, we ate and then decided to make more sugar cookies since we gave most of the others away and now had the taste for more. Dave was at work but the rest of us all joined together and made and decorated cookies. I felt like my Mom at that moment because while I was growing up, she always made the best sugar cookies for all the different Holidays.
Chay and Blade did most of the cutting out of cookies. They both now know that the key is to make sure you flour your cookie cutter first.
Then Nicole got involved in decorating the cookies. I was so proud of her, finally a moment when I felt like she was truly my daughter, finding joy in decorating cookies. I don't think I'll get her to the point of enjoying sewing but, cookie decorating is a start.


Here are some of our cookies. Nicole and I really like how the witches turned out.

And on this Canadian Thanksgiving Day, I say "Thank you" to my family. My vocabulary is insufficient to adequately express how I feel towards my family but my Mom and Dad are the strongest people I know. They grew up during a difficult time for Japanese in Canada and had the strength to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints . Because of their strength and courage, I grew up with everything that I ever needed and had the bonus of being able to spend quality time with them and my siblings camping, fishing, skiing, and going on great vacations every summer. Just going for day drives were fun, or even just to Park Lake. They also had strong parents who made the journey to Canada. I didn't have the opportunity to know my Dad's parents but I do know that my Dad's mom loved him so much that at birth she disobeyed the doctors and instead of using her strength to nurse the stronger baby, she nursed my Dad. And now, as a result, there are a lot of us Takahashi's around. And to think of all the lives my Dad has touched through his career as a caring physician. And my Mom's parents had the strongest work ethic and showed so much love to their grandkids. Even with "my" memory, I will always remember the parties at Grandma's and Grandpa's home filled with EVERYONE and playing bingo.

I also learned on Sunday that Blade knows more than I give him credit for. When Blade starts to act like a baby doing the baby talk thing, thinking it's cute, I tell him he's a big boy. Yesterday he told me,
"I was a baby when I was in your tummy".
"Yes you were".
"Then you sneezed".
"Then what happened?"
"I popped out".
"Yeah, you kind of did". At this point I was amazed, my baby is growing up...then he said,
"You sneezed and I popped out of your mouth!"

I had to laugh out loud on that one, I couldn't keep that laughter in...my big boy is still my "baby".


Life is good.
This picture is for Mom to show her that Dad's supplies did indeed arrive on Thursday! So it is safe for them to come down whenever they want and stay as long as the supplies last. I'm looking forward to their visit and it would have been nice to have them down sooner but, as we all know from recent posts and comments, there is a reason their beautiful new car was damaged and postponed their trip. Mom and Dad, we'll enjoy your company whenever you can make it!