Wrooom!

Summer is swooshing by.
I think it might be the rain that's making the summer go by so fast.
It's leaving us behind as it runs down the streets in whimsical patterns.
Yikes.
I'm NOT ready for fall yet!
I thought we were just getting started.
I'm always a bit lost...

Anyway.
We've lived in our house for a year now.
I just noticed this a few days ago as the 1st anniversary quitely zoomed by.
Our house hasn't changed too much thou.
We still have lots to do around here before we can call our house "done", (not like a house is EVER done!!)
but Hubby has been way too busy working elsewhere, and when he's at home, his extra time is spent on work related paperwork.
At times he also enjoys spending time with me and the kids, (obviously!!), so our house has been way down on the priority list for a long time.
We are hoping to change that soon thou!

What else??  Oh yeah, our 1st anniversay in our house came and went, and with that the 1st anniversary of when I found out I was pregnant with Star.
Well, at the end of June I got a final report from my Dr, saying that I am now healthy, and that I can try for another baby if we want.
It worked.
A year after finding out we were expecting Star, I'm finding myself pregnant again.
I'm just at the early stages, but I still want to share these exciting news.
We need prayers that all will go well this time.
And if they do, God will bless us with another child at the end of March!!
The kids are very excited, and so is Hubby and I.
If we plan on moving next summer a new baby won't make it easier, but how fun to have a new litte person to bring back with us!!

Sooo... as usual in this household, full speed ahead!!

Summer in Suomi

So.  Maybe we are not hitting any heat records.
Maybe we haven't had lots of beach-weather days.
But.  Finnish summer is still beautiful.
I like how the nights are cool, no a/c needed (although a few times I wish we had one... it was really muggy a few days ago)
The sun sets, but it's never really dark all night.
(we are at the same latitude as Anchorage, Alaska)
The kids can be outside without getting burnt or dehydrated.
They've been picking lots of berries and wildflowers, biking, (they have amazing and safe biking trails all over), rollerblading, playing horses outside etc etc.

Going places there's rarely a crowd.
I've seen packed beaches and parks in my life, so when Finns ask "Was the beach busy?", they mean
"Were there other people than you?"
No wonder this country has more summer cottages per capita than any other country I know!
Finns like solitude.

I can see why, although 3 other families on a beach does not make it crowded in my eyes!!
Going to a Finnish "mökki" (cottage) means driving 30 min out of town, 15 minutes spent on a 2-track road barely useable to cars.  When you arrive and open the door the only thing you hear is the sound of nature.
Not your neighbours lawnmower or kids shouting.
No cars or boats can be seen or heard.
Just birds, and the wind in the trees and mosquitos.
Lots and lots of those.
They'll find your ears as soon as you step out of your car and keep reminding you of their precence for as long as you are out there.
The mökki is always on water.
Beautiful lakes with clear water.
Usually little islands are scattered in the water, and in the distance you might see another mökki.
If peace and quiet is your thing, well, this is it.
So... what do you do at the mökki then??
Sauna and swim.
And grill sausages.
Maybe if you have a boat (a rowboat, one with engine would disturb the peace), you take it out on the lake.
And you might do some fishing.
Mostly you enjoy the peace and quiet.

Well.  These last few months I've been very homesick for Canada, and we are making pretty official plans on moving back next summer, God willing, but I do have to say I'll miss many things about the Finnish summer. The huge amounts of wildflowers, the ice-cream, the nature, the berries, the sauna's at the crisp lakes, the peace and quiet... Aaaaaawwwwwwww....

So wherever you are, spending your summer, I hope you enjoy yours too.
Here we enjoy ours immensely, since we know we are heading towards cold and dark months in just a short while...

I'm still here....

Julyyyyyyyyyyy!  Like hello???
What is going on.  Somebody call summer and tell it to slow down a few notches!
I'm still in no shape to hit the beach...  What happened??
In the spring I made these promises to get into shape and yada yada...
And here I am.
Pasty white, hairy legs, dough belly intact.
Yukk.
Sun??  Heat?? Hello??
I think we need to have a chat.

Ah well.
I am healthy.  I am happy.  I have a great life surrounded by my awesome family who takes care of me in the most loving way.  Really.
On Saturday my Hubby took me clothes shopping (1st time in 3 years??for real!!)
We were gone all Saturday afternoon and had our big girls babysit.
Our oldest actually suggested us going out for the day, and my Hubby had the same idea, so I had no say :)
We had a delicious lunch at a little cafe we never visited before.
I tried on hords of clothes (something I actually can't stand, but anything to keep Hubby happy)
Seriously!!
He LOVES shopping for me.
(not for himself, in that aspect he's very normal)
I HATE trying clothes on in public fitting rooms...
After squiggling in and out of X nr of dresses, pulling every muscle I own out of place...
I did score a few good deals.
Now I just need to go and have my neck adjusted!! (JK)

Coming home 4 of the girls had picked 3 pints/liters of wild strawberries!!  Wow!
YUM-MEE.
The house was picked up and all the kids were sitting down eating dinner.
Pork chops with french fries and bearnaise sauce.
Thanks to oldest daughter.
I just stood back and looked at our gang.
Nicely seated at the table.
"What a great family I have!" was the thought that came to mind.
I felt so blessed and thankful.
Thank you all again for making me feel like the most appreaciated mom and wife.
Even with my pasty complexion and pudgy belly ;)

Because you love me

I've been blogging a bit more than usual this last week.
It's a way for me to empty my head.
I'm a thinker, more so than a talker, believe it or not!!
When I busy myself with chores around the house, I use this time to think.
Or when I'm driving somewhere.
If there's something I hear or see that provokes my mind, I think.
Of course everybody thinks all the time, but maybe I think a bit "deeper" than others on a more regular basis.  As long as I remember I've analyzed human behaviour.
When I was only about 6-7 years old I'd wonder why there were different countries, and since we are all humans and are all "the same", why couldn't we just all travel where we wanted and be friends?
I also never minded telling who I liked.
I figured, If it's so easy to tell who you DON'T like, which is actually a mean or bad thing to do, why isn't it easier to tell people who you DO like??
In my childish brain this made no sense.
And it still doesn't.
I guess we fear being rejected or not loved back.
I tell our kids
"It's ALWAYS good to like and love, and even if you are not liked or loved back, there's nothing for you to lose.  It's a good feeling to know that you indeed is able to like and love."
With 6 emotional girls in the house, of course there'll be times of heartaches and sad times in the future, but that's part of life too.
Something they in the end (hopefully) will get stronger from.

So... where does this lead?
Oh yeah, I don't mind telling people who I like or love, so let me tell you about my favourite person!
Almost 16 years ago fate brought us together.
He wasn't supposed to go to Finland, and neither was I.
We both made last minute decisions to go.
The first nite I was in Finland we met.
And I, the "thinker" and a rather logical person who was the least romantic person I knew... fell head over heels in love.  Really at first sight.  (That only happens in Harlequin novels, I used to think)
And he, the cautios guy who didn't want to date anyone unless he knew he'd marry her, did the same.
A few people who were standing right by us when we first shook hands said after that they could literally see and almost hear a "click" as our hearts connected, thinking
"Those two just fell in love!"
He has later claimed that he "knew" the moment he first saw me that I was the girl he wanted to marry.
Fine with me!!

During the next year I went to visit him in Canada, and at Christmas time he came to Sweden where we got engaged.  Then we spent a looooooooong spring apart... From New Year to early June, when he FINALLY came to Sweden so we could get married.
It's been 15 years today.
We are cheesier than ever.  More in love than ever.  Our kids (especially our oldest girl) groans at us and think we are ultimately nerdy.  But at the same time she admits she WAY rather have us be like that than fighting.  (which we sometimes do, but not very much)
Often I look back at that moment when we first met.
And I'm still amazed at how powerful love is when you allow it to happen.
How it changes you in such great ways.
I had a had a few rough years, in many different ways, before we met, but from that moment on things took a turn for the better.
I had someone who thought I was the most amazing thing ever.
Someone who wasn't shy to tell me how wonderful he thought I was.
He boosted my poor self esteem and made me a stronger person.
His love has always been unwavering.
Just what I needed.
Because even if I've always had an easy time to love and share hugs, I also had a hard time finding myself loveable.  To have him love me for who I am with no strings attached, has been the greatest gift I could have ever asked for.
He always talks well about me.  He never ever puts me down.  He truly believes I am the greatest wife in the world and that he lucked out majorly!! (he he, cute!)
And even if he just has his head stuck in the clouds and can't see me for the average person I am, I'm not gonna complain about it!
It makes me feel secure and special.

Well... Happy 15th Anniversary dear Hubby.
You are more than I could have ever prayed for.
God truly is great.
Thank you for loving me so much. 

Ouch, that hurt!!

Do you have kids?
Have you ever been a kid?
Did you ever get hurt?
Did your child ever get hurt?
Do you know anybody who never got hurt in any way?
Well, neither do I.

Raising kids is hard.  Lots of work, patience and understanding is required.
We teach them how to ride their bikes, to swim to read...
We make sure they have the proper equipment and that they are as safe and well prepared as possible.
We feel that we have all the bases covered.
Until somebody calls your kid a name.
Or make fun of their clothes.
Or their bike.
Or....
Then what??

Momma Bear hops out of her den and bares her teeth and growls!
But wait!!
Are we doing the right thing???
We might say
"That's unacceptable!"
Lets talk to the teachers, principal, the "mean" kid, the "bad" parents of that "mean" kid!!
Do you honestly think that your kid has NEVER done anything bad to somebody else?
Why did he or she do that?
Was she having a bad day?
Did you argue in the morning?
Did you complain about your body, face, clothes...

It's funny how easy it is to jump to conclusions when it comes to someone elses kids and their behaviour.
When we really don't have any facts.

So where do we start and what do we do??
Maybe by making sure our kids have mental "helmets and kneepads"?
Teach them first to value what they have.
"yes your bike is not brand new and it doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but IF it did, THEN what?"
"how would it change your life?"
Would your kid be cooler, more accepted??
Well, someone has passed those values down to our kids!
How about trying to teach them to be content in their own skin?
Teach them to stand up for themselves without putting someone else down.

"Yeah, this bike is kind of old, but hey, It still gets me places!"
Or
"You don't like my shirt?  Well, I bet that's why there are so many different styles to chose from, because we are all so different!"
Teach them that each opinion is just as important.
Doesn't mean that an opinion is true!!
Sometimes kids say mean things to get attention or to make themselves feel better.
"You're fat!!"
How does a child respond to that?
Well.  Remember that offence is not GIVEN it's TAKEN!!
If your child is indeed on the heavier side and someone points that out....
Then what??
Does that right away equal
"You are bad. You are not likable??"
Aren't there campains all over about "Big is beautiful" and "embrace all shapes and sizes"?
Well, if we as grownups really believed that ourselves, why do we take offence on our childrens behalf then?
If your kid comes and tells you
"She called me fatso!", don't make your child a victim and go over the top with praise or by putting the other kid down to make your own feel better!!
Just approach it matter of fact.
"Oh, and how did that make you feel?  Is she right? Does that make you a bad person? Why do you think she said that?  Maybe she's having a bad day?"

When we overreact and focus all the attention on our own child, we'll make anything and everything into a courtcase and we boost our kids ego, making them feel that whatever happens to them is what this world revolves around!
Just a
"Well, that wasn't very nice, was it?"
Then a big hug and a smile, is sometimes all they need.
Of course if there's an ongoing pattern of bullying it's different, and we need to take stronger actions.
But in the end of the day our kids will grow up.
We can't always be there for them.
So... Hug them lots, tell them why you love them, remind them of their good traits, but also remind them that we all have weak spots (or you give them a way too big image that they have to try to live up to)
And teach them to carry a forgiving heart.
Forgiveness frees yourself of all the bad feelings and it gives the offender another chance.
Don't we all deserve another chance...?
Over and over again.

One moment in time...

So many thoughts running through my head.
Life is an interesting journey.
And at times we stop and take a moment to reflect.
It's humbling at times.
We learn (hopefully!!).
For me there have been many many things lately that have stopped me in my daily tracks.
Many reminders of what matters in life.

I keep learning things about who I am.
When I keep hitting walls due to my lack of language skills...
I realize that the person I like to be is suffering.
It opens my eyes for those that at some point have moved to a new country, and spent their lives there, and never have fully learned the new language.
I can now see how that can happen.
If your daily group of people speak the language you know, and you have very few opportunities to use the new one, well, the progress will be slow!
At times I feel like I'm standing at a busstop... waiting for someone to pick me up.
It feels like I'm getting nowhere, and it gets frustrating at times.

Then life goes on.
And things happen that help keep my own needs at a realistic level.
A young father has an accident at work and narrowly escapes death.
A young family loses a baby.
A middleaged woman loses her father and one of her sons in a matter of a week.
The list could go on with daily reminders of how short and unpredictable life is.

Today we attended our new little Goddaughter's baptism.
A joyful day when we got to celebrate God's greatest gift.
After attending this nice time with good friends, we went to see my Hubby's grandma who's 83 and in a nursing home.
Here she is at the end of the road, such a contrast after just holding the little bud who just started her journey!
She's been in and out of the hospital lately due to some infection.
She was tired.  She didn't really say anything.
But she saw us and there was a tired smile in her eyes.
This precious lady became a young widow and a single mom of 6 kids when she was only about 40 years old.
She has held the family together with her big heart and humorus and loving ways.
It's not often you see kids being so loving to an elderly as her kids are.
What you sow you shall reap.
Well, her love has paid off.
Every day her sons that live locally come and see her.
They make sure she has taken her medication, that she eats, and often she gets a treat from one of her sons that he lovingly feeds her.
She had a stroke last year, so slowly it has become harder and harder for her to help herself.
Her mind is not clear, and I'm sure this journey is hard for her, knowing how dilligently she took care of her kids and now being so depending on them.
When we said goodbye I couldn't let go of her warm and soft hand for a few minutes.
I felt heavy tears roll down my cheeks, as she looked me so lovingly into my eyes.
We've never been able to sit down and chat because of the language barriare, but sometimes words are vain.
Sometimes you just know.  You can feel love and care.
I don't know when the last time I tell her goodbye will be, it might be pretty soon.
I do know what she gave though.
Love.  Lots of love and forgiveness.

These moments sure help to keep things in perspective.
I feel so blessed and fortunate to have these moments in my life to keep me reminded of what matters.
Love and forgiveness.  And you don't need to know the same language in order to share that.

Kittens!!

A few months ago we realized that one of our cats was pregnant.

A few weeks after that we realized that our other cat was pregnant too.

Good thing we "only" have two of them!!

2 weeks ago the first one had 2 kittens, one died.

Today we found our other cat in the garage with her brood of 4!!

Here are pictures to show you our newest additions...

Here's "Nappi".
(Button in Finnish)
She/He has a white dot under its chin, and is otherwise a
dark gray colored kitten.
I LOVE the blue eyes!
They just opened a few days ago.

Here's our newest bundle.
4 tiny little things.
They keep moving around, keeping each other warm.
They don't have any names yet.
Like I said, we just found them with their mom in our
garage this afternoon!

Awwwwwwww.....
No.  We will NOT keep them all.
2 cats are enough.
SO... let me know if anyone is interested in a new
friend in a few months!

"Socks" with her gang!
I can relate to her having my paws full.
I wish I was as laid back thou, just laying there purring away...