Graduation Day

Lauren's convocation from Brock University was held yesterday morning... it was a great day!

Here she is with some fellow master's students.

We're so proud of our girl...

and so is Matt!

Way to go Lauren!

The Great Dress Hunt

Lauren and I have been having a lot of fun on our search for the perfect wedding dress.
Some of them are just crazy!!! Seriously, a PINK wedding dress? What are they thinking?

This gown was a real Little Mermaid goes Bridal!
It's work climbing in and out of these gowns...wedding dress shopping is a real expediton, let me tell you.

We're really having a lot of fun with it:)
The church is booked (St. Andrew's Presbyterian in Guelph) and Lauren and Matt have had a meeting with the minister...Lauren says they like him and he has a great sense of humour. The reception is booked for Creelman Hall at the University of Guelph and they have a short list of photographers, cake people and D.J.'s. Let the fun begin! Save the date: July 11th, 2009

Mom

This is a quick post to keep you all up to date on mom's progress.  She is one plucky lady, that's for sure!  We brought her to my house from the hospital last Friday and she's been resting and enjoying a bit of fresh air on the deck everyday.  Her favourite napping place is the sunroom; Milo and mom curl up on the sofa every afternoon.  Yesterday Patricia left and we were a little lost in the afternoon, but mom folded laundry and swiffered the living room.  She's getting tired of being waited on, she says.  She talked to her friend Pheny last night and I'm going to encourage her to call more of her friends today and we might take a ride into town later.  She wants to go back to her house on Thursday so she's really trying to get stronger.  So far, she's handling the new chemo drug really well.  As she says, "So far, so good!"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAUREN

That was then...

This is a picture of Lauren on her 1st birthday...

...and this is now!

I woke up around 4 o'clock this morning and I remembered waking up around that time 23 years ago on the day you were born. Our journey began early that morning as your dad and I drove across the Lion's Gate Bridge to get to the hospital. It was clear and quiet; the stars were still out and we were breathless with excitement as we looked at each other and said, today we're having a baby! It's been a wonder to journey this far with you and we are excited for your future!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUDDY

ps: remember, we'll love you for always and as long as we're living, our baby you'll be:)

Fun on the Freddy.

It was a relaxing, sunny (most of the time) weekend. Yeah for long weekends!

We had thunder showers on Saturday, but Lauren and Matt didn't let it spoil their fun.

Ed saw something big on the other side of the channel and thought it might be the three legged bear we've named "Tripod"

Lauren and Venice swimming up the channel.

Lauren and Hogan. She's trying to convince him to leap off the dock like his momma, but he's having none of that.

The water is finally the perfect swim temperature.

Campfire!

Cottage Weekend

I've got more pictures to post after the long weekend at the cottage but my connection is so slow and I'm having problems posting. But I thought this picture told a good story... we had some thunder showers on Saturday but it didn't spoil our fun and we got a beautiful rainbow. The rest of the weekend was sunny, and restful...lots of swimming, reading, a little boating, a little too much eating... the usual cottage stuff.

Mom

Mom stayed with me for a couple of days...

It was good to have her all to myself and just take care of her a bit.

The Hills are Alive

I've been having technical difficulties posting to my blog; my pictures weren't showing up and I was getting frustrated, so Lauren (my writerly daughter) said "mom, just write!"   So here I am, just writing.  I'm sitting in the sun room, watching the day begin.  We have so many birds here... swallows, finches, robins, warblers, bluebirds and they are busily going about their bird business and calling out to each other. If you listen carefully, you can hear all the different calls, like listening to dozens of voices speaking in their own languages.  In the distance, I can see the horses over in the neighbour's paddock and every now and then one of them gives out a whinny.   Charlie, the neighbour's dog just let out a good morning woof and Hogan is answering rather loudly.  The Hockley hills are echoing with the sounds of communicatin' !  Add to that the soft clacking of my fingers on the keyboard as I tap out this little message... I can imagine all of us calling out in our own little ways to each other...

Good morning from our back deck