Pump up the volume

My life needs a soundtrack.

This thought occured to me the other day. I was getting Rylee's dinner ready, and Ryan had the iPod going, and I think it was even Pump Up the Volume that was playing. I started dancing around the kitchen as I got Rylee's food, and realized that a) it would be great exercise if I danced around like that more often, and 2) it's alot more fun when you dance to cheesy tunes. I'm not sure what the soundtrack of my life should sound like (although I could definitely soundtrack certain eras/events - my Finland trip is mostly Queen with a bit of U2, some Euro techno-pop and Mrs. Robinson in Finnish, for example) but I definitely think I would enjoy the mundane stuff more with music that gets me moving playing in the background.

What's the soundtrack to your life?

Lest We Forget

I had all kinds of thoughts on things I would blog about a couple of days ago, but I forget most of them now. And I'm tired, and should be working on my report cards, and a million other things, and Rylee will be up from her nap any minute. So just a short post about today.

My grandmother served in the Canadian Women's Army Corps in World War 2. She was very proud of her service, and remained involved with the CWAC throughout her life. This is my first Remembrance Day without her, the first one where I'm remembering her. It's been tough. At school on Friday, I fell spectaculary apart during the Remembrance Day assembly. Fortunately, it was while a video was on (it was the sight of the veterans marching in the video that caused me to finally lose it) and the gym was dark, so few if any students witnessed it. However, I went back to class afterward and a student asked a question about poppies, and I started crying again. Fortunately (again), this was with my homeroom class, who are a wonderful group of gr 7 and 8 students. I did my best to explain why I was so upset, and they did their best to cope with the fact that their teacher, who is normally quite in control of herself and the class, was having a mini-breakdown. I doubt any of them are reading this, but if you are, you handled it beautifully.

We took the girls to the cenotaph after Mass today for the service there. We've actually managed to do this quite a few times in their short lives, what with one or the other of us being on parental leave and Remembrance Day falling on weekends. They were awesome, and the ceremony was as moving as always. As we were leaving, we saw a veteran sitting in his wheelchair, and almost everyone who went by him was shaking his hand and thanking him. It was beautiful.

My sister-in-law married an Army man this summer. He's leaving for Afghanistan in January. My friend Janet married an RMC grad five years ago. He's leaving for Afghanistan in January too. Remembrance Day has a whole new meaning for me this year. I just hope next year I'm not remembering Jeff or John, and the sacrifice made by Jan (and Hailey and Emma) or Rosalie.

There she goes...

Yes, for the two people (maximum) reading this who aren't on Facebook, Rylee is walking! She had her first birthday last week and decided it was about time she tried getting around on her feet instead of her hands and knees. She still crawls some of the time, but walks more and more each day, and is getting better and better at it.

Not much else to report. Everything continues to go well, which is great for me, but rather boring for blogging. Tomorrow I am acting as a co-interpreter for The Mennonite Story in St. Jacobs (the small tourist village where I teach, which is in the heart of Mennonite country). If it goes well, it could become a standing gig, which would be pretty cool for a French/history geek like me. Ryan is travelling less, which makes me happy. Sammie and Hailey can't keep their room clean and are still adorable. Sammie has started hockey and really likes it, which is great. Hailey still loves gymnastics.

Yesterday as I was dropping the girls off at the sitter Hailey gave me a big squeeze before I left. As I was walking out the door I heard her saying to the sitter, "Kris, do you want a squeeze?" So cute! This morning I asked Sammie if I was getting a hug and kiss. She yelled back, "No," so Hailey came over and gave me another hug and kiss. She's so affectionate.

Well, since I have nothing else to say...

Oktoberfest is here!

So, it's Oktoberfest. Where I live this is a huge deal. I'm looking forward to tomorrow night's Oktoberfesting just as much as I used to back in university, although for different reasons. Let's face it, you can call it a festival of German heritage, but for university students, it's just another reason to drink your face off. This is NOT my plan tomorrow night. Now, it's a chance to get together with some friends. It's ridiculous, really - these friends are people who live within a few minutes drive of me, but I rarely get together with them. There will be three couples going tomorrow night, to the best of my knowledge, and the women are two of my closest friends. I've known them for years, their kids are the same age as my daughters, we live close to each other...We used to get together much more frequently, but since having kids, there just don't seem to be the opportunities, or maybe we just don't make them. Whatever the reason we don't do it more often, I'm really looking forward to spending time with my friends tomorrow as friends, not as mommies.

Have I mentioned lately that I love my job? I don't know what it is about this year, but I'm having more fun than I can remember having at work in a long time. I feel like I'm doing well, too, which is nice. I have no idea what's different about this year. Maybe the kids appreciate me more after having a substitute for much of last year while I was on leave. Whatever the reason, I'm feeling really good about my career these days.

Rylee turned one yesterday. We had a small family celebration on Wed night, as her godmother/aunt was able to come for dinner that night but not on her actual birthday. Her babysitter had cupcakes yesterday, then we celebrated again last night with cupcakes after dinner. She of course has no idea what the big deal is, but her sisters do, which was cute. They took the liberty of "helping" Rylee open her presents :)

Not much else is new. Sammie starts hockey this weekend, which should be interesting. She says she knows how to skate, and says she wants to play hockey, but we'll see. She looks pretty darn cute in all her equipment, that's for sure. She still likes school and is reading really well. Hailey still wants to do everything Sammie is. She's struggling with skating, too, but we're working on it. Last weekend we went skating with the Rangers, and Hailey was upset that she kept falling. I told her the Rangers fell a lot when they were learning too. She seemed amazed at that, so I suggested she ask one of them. Sure enough, we went up to one and I said, "Did you want to ask him your question?" She looked up at him and said, "When you were little, did you fall down?" He gave her a big smile and said, "All the time. But I kept getting back up and kept going." After that she told everyone, "He used to fall down all the time, but he kept gotting up!" My kids are so darn cute.

I want to thank you, thank you...

I know, I know, it's been a while, and probably no one is reading this anymore. But in case I'm wrong, in honour of Thanksgiving, here is what I'm thankful for.

I'm thankful for my families - the one I was born into, the one I married into, and the one I've created with my husband. And I'm thankful for the family of friends who surround me and support me on a daily basis.

I'm thankful for a career that I truly enjoy, for work that is fulfilling and meaningful, and for which I am quite well compensated. I'm thankful that I live in a country where I'm free to have a career outside the home if I choose to.

I'm thankful that I'm one of the people this weekend who ate too much, and not one of the people who didn't eat enough. I'm thankful that I had enough food for my children and no one at my table had to go without.

I'm thankful that I have my wonderful husband. And I'm thankful that I didn't make the mistake of marrying one of the other guys I dated (note to any of them reading this - nothing against you, guys, you're fabulous. You just weren't right for me, and I wasn't right for you. Not in the long run, anyway)

I'm thankful that in university I met someone who helped lead me back to my faith. I'm thankful for the faith community of which I am part. And again, thankful that I am free to worship as I choose, where I choose.

I'm thankful that I have twice had the experience of living in a country other than my own. I'm thankful for the friends I made in Finland, especially the ones who are still part of my life.

I'm thankful for chocolate.

I'm thankful that I'm in good health, and that my family is, too. I know I'm very lucky to have had three uncomplicated pregnancies and three healthy children. And I'm thankful that when I wanted to get pregnant, I did. I know it's not that easy for everyone. I'm thankful that the growth on Em's thyroid was benign. I'm thankful that Tatiana is home and getting better every day. I'm thankful that my mom survived her heart attack last year. I'm thankful that Mim isn't suffering.

On a more lighthearted note, I'm thankful that Rylee is sleeping through the night. I'm thankful that the gr 8 trip to Quebec is going ahead in February, and that I'll get to go. I'm thankful that Rylee isn't quite walking yet.

I'm thankful that I have too many blessings to list here.

You don't know what you've got...

Just a quick thought, inspired by Daph's blog. After this past weekend, renewing the bonds shared with my exchange student friends, we swore we wouldn't let 14 years go by again without getting together, and those of us who are geographically close promised to keep in better touch. What I'm pondering is this: why are we so determined this time to keep in touch? Why do we think it'll be different? I think the answer is, because we're 14 years older than we were when all went our separate ways. I don't think I realized at age 18 what an amazing thing that friendship was, and that I should cherish it. I think I thought I would find other friendships to take its place. I *have* found wonderful friends since being home, and I treasure them, too, but they are in addition to Daph, Darren, Monica and Ismail, not instead of. And I know now how lucky I am to have those four people as my dear friends. I promise to be a better friend this time.

Some things'll never change...

...but some things will. Like a 17 or 18 year old kid sent to live in a foreign country for a year.

At my reunion weekend, my friends kept saying how our year in Finland made them who they are. This got me thinking. How did my year abroad change me? How has it affected who I am today? I mean, the man I'm married to knows very little about that year, I don't talk about it much with friends now...how did it contribute to who I am today? Or did it?

So yesterday, as I drove for 2+ hours in 30+ degrees Celsius in a car with no AC, alone with a baby, I thought about it. I came up with ways Finland changed me and ways just being an exchange student changed me. Here's what I came up with.

WAYS FINLAND AFFECTED ME (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)

Drinking coffee - I never drank the stuff before I went to Finland, but when you go to a Finn's house, they will offer you some. And go into an absolute tizzy trying to get you something else to drink if you say no. So I just started drinking it to save everyone's sanity.

Drinking beer - Never drank this either, but then again, probably would have started in university if I hadn't already.

Cheering for Finnish teams/athletes - unless of course they're competing against Canadian teams/athletes.

Cheering against Swedish teams/athletes - and basically being against all things Swedish. It took me a long time to accept that the Leafs had a Swede for a captain. And even longer to admit that I actually liked him.

Amusing anecdotes - like the time I went to St. Petersburg and was so focused on bringing my camera, passport and American money that I forgot to pack underwear. I have many more stories like this. Ask me about my trip to Stockholm sometime. The thing is, I don't want to bore anybody, and I always think these stories are only interesting to me and the people who were there. If I'm wrong, let me know - I'd be happy to share some stories.

Interesting second language stories - these serve me well as a second language teacher. Like how tuli, tuuli and tulli all mean different things, and sound SLIGHTLY different. Or how Finnish only has one word for both he and she.

An affection for all things Finn - like Finlandia vodka, Fazer chocolate, Lapin Kulta beer, pulla, Karelian pies...sigh.

WAYS BEING AN EXCHANGE STUDENT CHANGED ME

Not letting people too close - this is all I could come up with that was at all big. I have some wonderful friends, but we aren't as close as I was with my exchange student friends. I don't know if this is because I don't let them get as close because I don't want to go through losing them like I did with my exchange student friends, or if it's just because adults don't form friendships like that, or what.

Being self-reliant - I can get through just about anything, and do it on my own. I learned to do that when far from home in Finland, too shy and/or proud to ask Rotary to help.

That's it. Most of that isn't even huge, I don't think. So, here's my question. I know at least some of my Oulu buddies are reading this - how did our year abroad make YOU who you are? Or if any other exchange students - past or present - are reading this, how did/has your year changed you? And if that's too personal for the comments, email me. I'd love to hear.

PS For pictures from my weekend, check out Daph's blog. And for a someone else's take on the reunion, check out Darren's blog.