August 2, 2010
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Brothers
My baby brother is getting married this weekend to a beautiful woman. I am bereft that i cant be there, although it was my choice not to fly out for the wedding. 35hours one way with an 8 month old (who, incidentally, is teething and super cranky) for one day’s celebrations was simply was too daunting an obstacle to overcome. That and we’d only have sent me and Asher, leaving Judah (on vacation) with Josh (who still needs to work)… Anyway. I’m sad not to be there, but content with my decision to wait until we’re all lounging on the tropical beach at Ilse Ste.Marie to toast the happy couple.
The occasion has me thinking more about my brothers though and how proud I am of them and the men they have become. Since my brothers are 5 and 8 years younger than i am most of their grown up years i’ve only watched them from afar: from college and university, from studying abroad in Lithuania, working abroad, living in ‘the city’ after i got married, and now working abroad again. While i’ve been globe trotting my brothers have both grown up into men of integrity and strength and, more recently, married beautiful women, starting families of their own. It blows my mind sometimes to think of Eric owning his own business, owning his second house while i’ve never owned anything more than a futon and a few lamps. You know how when it’s your own family members you have a different impression of who they are and what they’re capable of than everyone else? Perhaps it’s that we continue to see them as the little brothers they were and not the grown ups they become after all those lessons they’ve learned along the way, on their own instead of as a threesome of siblings in the back seat of the brown chevy en route to family camp outs. I’ve turned around to discover my brothers as (mostly) responsible men
who display gifts and talents that i couldnt have imagined they’d have when we could still fit in the back of the Cavalier. Geoff’s getting married this weekend – not on a long weekend – as is proper for a Manitoban, good job on that! It’s so fun to see him so stoked about his new bride and the new life they are planning. I have been impressed in the last few years to see Geoff become such a man of spiritual strength and I’m looking forward to seeing where God will lead him and Brielle after their adventure in South Africa this year.
Alas. It just sucks though that i wont be able to dance at his wedding like Judah and i could at Eric’s last year. I wish them a fantastic weekend of sun, the absence of mosquitoes, and simply a fabulously fun wedding party. See you in 4 months at our house for Christmas and a family vacation to a tropical island instead of a road trip in the family car to the lake.
Currently:
These days we’re all quite addicted to Judah’s new computer game, “Feeding Frenzy 2″. Currently i have the high-score. LOL.Asher is teething, as i mentioned, and is simply miserable! He sleeps VERY poorly through the night and, since Josh had to get up early this morning, i spent the night on the parent-bed in Asher’s room so that i wasnt making the trek back and forth from my bed to his room every hour or so. <sigh> this too shall pass… i hope.
I think today our activity of the day will be to go school supply shopping for Judah. Hurrah!
I’ve been feeling a bit like Bridget Jones these days, although i’ve been controlling my urge to plot out my success and failure statistics at the top of each blog entry. It would look something like: ‘treats: 2; exercise: 1/2 hour; quality time with each son: 2 hours.’ The exercises these days are more painful than they’re productive, it feels like at least. I go to bed with such a back, neck and headache… but i will persevere… i hope.
The mandarin oranges these days are so yummy! At least that’s one consolation during this season of cold feet and fingers: oranges and strawberries! I’m looking forward to the mangoes though. <sigh> The litchee tree is starting to present the beginnings of litchees and i’m stoked for the time when we can pick them with our family in December.
The landlord is coming for a visit in the next 2 weeks, so rumor has it. We’re hoping against hope that we can get permission to cut down a bunch of the pine trees around our yard to get more sunshine in.
Gotta go, Judah is in need of some attention.
