Today I feel like writing just to write, so we'll see what pops to my mind!
It's December. And the fact that Christmas is indeed coming, is slowly sinking in...
And I'm getting excited about it too!
Watching the kid's excitement rubs off on me.
I remember the Christmases I spent as a singel girl, living quite far away from my parents, meaning I didn't make it home for Christmas every year. Christmas was nice and fun, but I had a hard time getting the "feeling" that you have as a child.
Wanting to see the familiar decorations, listening to Christmas songs, singing along.
Baking, wrapping gifts, writing little riddles that we'd add to the gifts.
My younger brother and I had a riot with this, and when we hit our mid/late teens, things would get out of control. We'd be laughing hysterically at our really stupid "riddles", that pretty much said straight out what was in the package! We'd wrap my dads socks separately (so if he was getting a 5 pack of socks, he'd actually have 10 gifts to open)
Yes, we were nerdy, and man was it fun at the time!
As we handed out the gifts on Christmas eve, it seemed like our dad got the most gifts!
We also made joke gifts at times, and that tradition our oldest girls have continued.
A few years ago one of our girls had wrapped a sticker with great care.
I'm taking layers and layers of wrapping paper, with roughly a whole roll of tape keeping it all together...
When you finally got to the sticker, it said:
"You did it!"
I've been making joke gifts for the kids as well, and one time I wrapped packaging bubbles for one of the girls (our petlover). There were about 15-20 of them, and they were in a long "string", about 6 by 4 inches in size. I drew googly eyes on them and gave them all names... She had wanted a pet for Christmas, and now she had a whole "farm"!
She kept them for a few years. :)
Last night Hubby and I went grocery shopping and took the time to go out for a quick coffee as well.
Coming home there were candles burning, and the remains of "pulla" (cinnamon rolls) and "glögg" (Swedish "apple cider") were to be found on the table. The kids had been practicing Christmas hymns in time for St Lucia!
Christmas is so much more fun when you have kids to celebrate it with.
And it's NOT for the gifts sake.
They see the magic in all the little things.
When I was single, and even during our first few years of marriage (before our oldest kids were old enough to understand what was going on), Christmas seemed more "mechanical", although I enjoyed buying gifts for others, eating good food and all that, that pure joy was missing.
Now it's definitely here.
To watch the kids eyes when they see mysteriously shaped packages wrapped up, waiting to be opened...
To feel your belly close to bursting from all the good food and treats...
To squish the whole family on the couch and sing Christmas songs till our throats are sore...
To read the gospel of Christmas together as a family (even if it felt SOOO long when I was a kid!)...
To look around me and see all of our kids gathered around us. (always brings tears of joy to my eyes)
It makes me so happy for their sake that they have each other. That they get to grow up together in this crazy bunch. Big families are a lot of work, but during holidays "The more" is definitely merrier!
To feel that great thankfulness coming from deep inside you...
It's magical and wonderful and beautiful.
I'm excited. And I think I have to figure out a joke gift or two...
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Thankful
I'm sitting up late as usual, letting my thoughts trail in whatever directions they decide to take off. During the day my mind is so occupied with the busyness of running this show as smoothly as possible... so it's nice to have some alonetime to think and reflect.
I don't feel that I have had enough time to reflect for a while now... like for the last 15 years?? Being a mom of 1, 2 or more kids changes your life, and my mind is most of the time cought up in the care of our 7. We plan, we prepare, we act. In small ways and big ways.
This last year has been so increadilby full of happenings, that I truly feel I could write a book about it! And as I take a second to look back, I realize how good it's been, and how much I have to be thankful for. It's so easy to take for granted all the good in life, but every now and then something reminds you of how much you have to be thankful for.
The fact that me and my whole famliy is reasonable healthy, that we are safe and happy. How easy to take it all for granted.
This past week many, many young people lost their lives at the hands of a sick man, in Oslo, Norway. My niece was a very short distance away from where the bomb went off in down-town Oslo. She is unharmed and made it back to her hometown safe and sound, but severly shocked.
I'm thankful that she's OK, and also that I live in a safe country where on a regular basis I should have nothing to fear. It's scary though how these attacks are becoming more common, also in areas of the world where you normally don't have to worry. I pray that I will always will be prepared, and never unprepared to face whatever might come, that way I don't have to be scared or live in fear.
We are all enjoying our new house so much, and tomorrow my brother with wife and little son are coming for a visit all the way from the US westcoast! Also our 2nd oldest daughter's BFF and her great aunt will be arriving from Michigan!! How wonderful to have family and friends come to visit us from way over there! I'm excited to show our house to them all, but mostly I'm excited to let them see how well we are doing and how happy we are here! Moving across the ocean and starting all over is a huge step, and to hop on the next flight back is not an option, so being happy and content here is something we are very thankful for.
I'm looking forward to spend another year here, and to see what excitement it will bring! My personal goal is to strengthen my Finnish! I feel like my brain has finally landed and that I have a bit more energy to focus on the language, compared to last year when everything was new and so much needed to be done in such a short amount of time!! Wish me luck! and yeah... I still need to get a camera so that I can take some pictures of our house, that I can post for you all to see! Tudelu for now!
I don't feel that I have had enough time to reflect for a while now... like for the last 15 years?? Being a mom of 1, 2 or more kids changes your life, and my mind is most of the time cought up in the care of our 7. We plan, we prepare, we act. In small ways and big ways.
This last year has been so increadilby full of happenings, that I truly feel I could write a book about it! And as I take a second to look back, I realize how good it's been, and how much I have to be thankful for. It's so easy to take for granted all the good in life, but every now and then something reminds you of how much you have to be thankful for.
The fact that me and my whole famliy is reasonable healthy, that we are safe and happy. How easy to take it all for granted.
This past week many, many young people lost their lives at the hands of a sick man, in Oslo, Norway. My niece was a very short distance away from where the bomb went off in down-town Oslo. She is unharmed and made it back to her hometown safe and sound, but severly shocked.
I'm thankful that she's OK, and also that I live in a safe country where on a regular basis I should have nothing to fear. It's scary though how these attacks are becoming more common, also in areas of the world where you normally don't have to worry. I pray that I will always will be prepared, and never unprepared to face whatever might come, that way I don't have to be scared or live in fear.
We are all enjoying our new house so much, and tomorrow my brother with wife and little son are coming for a visit all the way from the US westcoast! Also our 2nd oldest daughter's BFF and her great aunt will be arriving from Michigan!! How wonderful to have family and friends come to visit us from way over there! I'm excited to show our house to them all, but mostly I'm excited to let them see how well we are doing and how happy we are here! Moving across the ocean and starting all over is a huge step, and to hop on the next flight back is not an option, so being happy and content here is something we are very thankful for.
I'm looking forward to spend another year here, and to see what excitement it will bring! My personal goal is to strengthen my Finnish! I feel like my brain has finally landed and that I have a bit more energy to focus on the language, compared to last year when everything was new and so much needed to be done in such a short amount of time!! Wish me luck! and yeah... I still need to get a camera so that I can take some pictures of our house, that I can post for you all to see! Tudelu for now!
Monday, June 27, 2011
1st Anniversary in Finland
Wow. That pretty much sums up how I feel about this last year.
Wow, as in "That went fast"
Wow, as in "I can't believe how much has happened in so short a time!"
Wow, as in "I'm so thankful for how well it all has gone!"
The months leading up to our move, were such a blur. So much happened in such a short time, and with me still recovering from child birth (= the brain is sort of disfunctional on a regular basis), I felt like I never had time to fully reflect about what was about to happen.
Coming here, the pace kept up it's speed. And things that took place, things that I had only dreamed about doing with my family in some distant future, felt sort of unreal. Almost like it didn't happen. I wish I could have done it all in slow-motion, so that I could have savoured it more...
We've gone places, visited friends and family and done many things that I longed to do in the past.
And now when they've taken place, when the places and people are available, it just feels so "normal"!
Maybe it's a bit like when you as a kid wish for that SUUUPER special toy, and you think that you will NEVER get it. And then you do get it, and realize that... "Oh, yeah, it's so neat, and I love it so much, but I am still the same person, and this thing didn't dramatically change my life!"
I guess I'm still the same old me. Nothing has changed dramatically. Each morning I get up, get the day going, drink my coffee, the day hums along and some chores get done, kids need their attention, there might be some errands to be run... and it's all life. Strolling quite happily along. Just like in the past. My address has changed, my group of friends have changed, the food, nature, climate, language etc, have changed. But I'm still with me. And I'm with my dear hubby and our dear kids.
This year has emphazised how important my immediate family is to me. I guess I really can live anywhere, as long as I have those 8 people along for the ride!
And those 8 people seem to feel more or less the same way, since it seems like they also have settled in quite smoothly over here in Finland.
Some of the things that I looked forward to before moving are now my everyday life, and many days I forget how nice it is to have these conveniences, but sometimes it really hits me, and it makes me so thankful to be able to enjoy these things. Like having a hubby who doesn't have to cross over to the States and back every day to go to work! (he did that for more than 11 years) Same thing when we go to church... only 7 minutes away versus at least 50!!! Also being able to travel to other cities and meet friends there, and it's only a few hours drive. Our diabetic daughter's care has also been greatly simplified. Here everything is covered. No sending papers in to get reimbursed etc. Very nice for us, since her care is something that affects us on a daily basis.
No packing school lunches, they get a hot meal at school every day. The whole school "thing" is something we really appreciate. Our kids really enjoy school here. Shorter days and more "hands on" activities, and a lot more time outside; it all adds up!
So... Is there anything we miss from over there???
Of course. At times I miss some of my friends with an ache in my heart. I wish I could pop over to have a good chat with many of them... Some food items I might miss at times, but these days you can find most things everywhere, so no biggie there (not for me anyway!) Stores and restaurants? Kind of. I shopped so rarely that it was pretty easy to leave that behind, besides, shopping here can be quite nice, especially the 2nd hand shopping.... when I do go.
When it comes down to it, I guess I'm a person who is quite happy to hang out with our kids, and hubby, even just at the playground; rather than looking for a good deal at some store.
Spending more time as a family was one of the main reasons behind our move, and THAT we have done! I will never regret that! And again.... if that goal is easier to achieve in one place than another, I don't really care what the name of that place is!
Maybe this 2nd year here I will have more time to reflect over things. Get to know Finland a bit more from the heart. I can't say that I have any strong opinions about things here yet, it wouldn't be fair! It feels like I'd jump to conclusions if I said "This is how they do it here!", after only 1 year in the country. There are some things that I'm picking up on, but I'll save that for later :)
We keep living this life, one day at the time, and we let God guide our way, and .... things will stay good!
Wow, as in "That went fast"
Wow, as in "I can't believe how much has happened in so short a time!"
Wow, as in "I'm so thankful for how well it all has gone!"
The months leading up to our move, were such a blur. So much happened in such a short time, and with me still recovering from child birth (= the brain is sort of disfunctional on a regular basis), I felt like I never had time to fully reflect about what was about to happen.
Coming here, the pace kept up it's speed. And things that took place, things that I had only dreamed about doing with my family in some distant future, felt sort of unreal. Almost like it didn't happen. I wish I could have done it all in slow-motion, so that I could have savoured it more...
We've gone places, visited friends and family and done many things that I longed to do in the past.
And now when they've taken place, when the places and people are available, it just feels so "normal"!
Maybe it's a bit like when you as a kid wish for that SUUUPER special toy, and you think that you will NEVER get it. And then you do get it, and realize that... "Oh, yeah, it's so neat, and I love it so much, but I am still the same person, and this thing didn't dramatically change my life!"
I guess I'm still the same old me. Nothing has changed dramatically. Each morning I get up, get the day going, drink my coffee, the day hums along and some chores get done, kids need their attention, there might be some errands to be run... and it's all life. Strolling quite happily along. Just like in the past. My address has changed, my group of friends have changed, the food, nature, climate, language etc, have changed. But I'm still with me. And I'm with my dear hubby and our dear kids.
This year has emphazised how important my immediate family is to me. I guess I really can live anywhere, as long as I have those 8 people along for the ride!
And those 8 people seem to feel more or less the same way, since it seems like they also have settled in quite smoothly over here in Finland.
Some of the things that I looked forward to before moving are now my everyday life, and many days I forget how nice it is to have these conveniences, but sometimes it really hits me, and it makes me so thankful to be able to enjoy these things. Like having a hubby who doesn't have to cross over to the States and back every day to go to work! (he did that for more than 11 years) Same thing when we go to church... only 7 minutes away versus at least 50!!! Also being able to travel to other cities and meet friends there, and it's only a few hours drive. Our diabetic daughter's care has also been greatly simplified. Here everything is covered. No sending papers in to get reimbursed etc. Very nice for us, since her care is something that affects us on a daily basis.
No packing school lunches, they get a hot meal at school every day. The whole school "thing" is something we really appreciate. Our kids really enjoy school here. Shorter days and more "hands on" activities, and a lot more time outside; it all adds up!
So... Is there anything we miss from over there???
Of course. At times I miss some of my friends with an ache in my heart. I wish I could pop over to have a good chat with many of them... Some food items I might miss at times, but these days you can find most things everywhere, so no biggie there (not for me anyway!) Stores and restaurants? Kind of. I shopped so rarely that it was pretty easy to leave that behind, besides, shopping here can be quite nice, especially the 2nd hand shopping.... when I do go.
When it comes down to it, I guess I'm a person who is quite happy to hang out with our kids, and hubby, even just at the playground; rather than looking for a good deal at some store.
Spending more time as a family was one of the main reasons behind our move, and THAT we have done! I will never regret that! And again.... if that goal is easier to achieve in one place than another, I don't really care what the name of that place is!
Maybe this 2nd year here I will have more time to reflect over things. Get to know Finland a bit more from the heart. I can't say that I have any strong opinions about things here yet, it wouldn't be fair! It feels like I'd jump to conclusions if I said "This is how they do it here!", after only 1 year in the country. There are some things that I'm picking up on, but I'll save that for later :)
We keep living this life, one day at the time, and we let God guide our way, and .... things will stay good!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Interesting....
Funny story alert!
This evening, around 8 pm, Big Guy,our kids and I were outside at the common playground, hanging out. Nothing much going on. Kids swinging, digging in the sandbox, looking for snails, running in the woods. The usual. It was not very warm, just the kind of weather that you need pants and a t-shirt, maybe a sweater, to stay just perfect.
There are apartment buildings on 3 sides of the playground, and on the 4th there's a hill with trees, and behind that the woods.
Anyway... Here we are, when this guy comes running outside of the apartment building straight in front of our faces, wearing a sturdy pair of boots and, and NOTHING else!!! He comes dashing out.... Stops for a brief second when he sees this large family playing on the playground, swears a really bad word in Finnish, and then runs behind the bushes for cover... Me and hubby stare with jaws dropped at each other for a second, then start laughing at this highly unusual sight. A few of the kids witnessed the event, and they were like "whatte....????"
Well... Mr.Bright Guy runs around the whole building, quite the dash that involves exposing himself for a potential large number of people, around 2 parking areas. Coming up the stairs, after rounding the building, he yells at my hubby to buzz his apartment and keep the kids out of sight.
"What number?" yells my hubby back (the guy was on the stairs in plain view) "Level 4!" Well, there are a few apartments on level 4 dude...
(do I need to mention that Mr. Nude was not the most sober guy on the block?)
He also told hubby that the reason for his nude-marathon was the result of losing a game (strip poker comes to mind...) So THAAAAAT explains it!!! (remember it's perfectly light outside here until late at night... and this was only at 8 pm)
Anyway. Dude runs down to the garbage shed, and rummages around for a while... A few minutes later he emerges clad in (I lost it at this point!) a grocerystore bag with the text "LIDL" printed right on the front of it!!!!! (LIDL is a European grocerystore chain)
He sort of chuckled as he walked past us, and then his good buddy let him back into the building.
Big Guy turned to me and said "Hey, he should have worn a bag with the word Gigantti on it instead!"
(name of a Best Buy type of store over here)
Well.... That was an interesting event on this day over here in the fine country of Finland!!
Welcome!
This evening, around 8 pm, Big Guy,our kids and I were outside at the common playground, hanging out. Nothing much going on. Kids swinging, digging in the sandbox, looking for snails, running in the woods. The usual. It was not very warm, just the kind of weather that you need pants and a t-shirt, maybe a sweater, to stay just perfect.
There are apartment buildings on 3 sides of the playground, and on the 4th there's a hill with trees, and behind that the woods.
Anyway... Here we are, when this guy comes running outside of the apartment building straight in front of our faces, wearing a sturdy pair of boots and, and NOTHING else!!! He comes dashing out.... Stops for a brief second when he sees this large family playing on the playground, swears a really bad word in Finnish, and then runs behind the bushes for cover... Me and hubby stare with jaws dropped at each other for a second, then start laughing at this highly unusual sight. A few of the kids witnessed the event, and they were like "whatte....????"
Well... Mr.Bright Guy runs around the whole building, quite the dash that involves exposing himself for a potential large number of people, around 2 parking areas. Coming up the stairs, after rounding the building, he yells at my hubby to buzz his apartment and keep the kids out of sight.
"What number?" yells my hubby back (the guy was on the stairs in plain view) "Level 4!" Well, there are a few apartments on level 4 dude...
(do I need to mention that Mr. Nude was not the most sober guy on the block?)
He also told hubby that the reason for his nude-marathon was the result of losing a game (strip poker comes to mind...) So THAAAAAT explains it!!! (remember it's perfectly light outside here until late at night... and this was only at 8 pm)
Anyway. Dude runs down to the garbage shed, and rummages around for a while... A few minutes later he emerges clad in (I lost it at this point!) a grocerystore bag with the text "LIDL" printed right on the front of it!!!!! (LIDL is a European grocerystore chain)
He sort of chuckled as he walked past us, and then his good buddy let him back into the building.
Big Guy turned to me and said "Hey, he should have worn a bag with the word Gigantti on it instead!"
(name of a Best Buy type of store over here)
Well.... That was an interesting event on this day over here in the fine country of Finland!!
Welcome!
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