"I just called to say - I love you"

In the years 1990 - 1991, I traveled around the country with a Catholic missionary group called N.E.T. We did retreats for teenagers in Catholic parishes in places like New York, Illinois, Toronto/Ontario Canada and St. Paul, Minnesota. It was like "road rules" for Catholic college people. It was both life-changing and really hard in a lot of ways. One of the best outcomes was the friendships I made with the other 9 people on my team (5 men/5 women) - there are actually 100 plus people who are on 10 or so travelling teams - but you mainly spend the year with the 10 people on your specific "team." 

Yesterday, we all found out that one of our team members died in a car accident. His name is Chris, and he was a really wonderful man who was gentle and kind and a very good drummer. We didn't stay in close touch, but it is still sad for me and the other members of our team even 21 years later. Chris was 43. In the photo above, he's dancing with another woman on our team, Lupe. I pray that his soul, through the mercy of God, rests in peace. 

On much lighter notes, My parents (the Joads) arrived from Reno and are back to taking care of the boys and I. RKZ is on a work trip to Florida and Philadelphia until tomorrow. This will be RKZ's last trip (that we know of) until baby #3 is born and I was so glad he could go and focus on his job for a few days while knowing that we're ok - RKZ has been working so hard helping us and he deserved to have meetings (and some beers) with coworkers! 

The pics below are the boys enjoying the local Science center. We've also seen the La Habra Children's museum and hoping for maybe Knotts Berry Farm today. Gotta' keep these kids moving at all times :) 

"Crash! Into me, babe..."

Because our lives aren't interesting enough right now... RKZ and Uncle C arrived to so much excitement here in California. We were all overjoyed to see each other. Thunder was very excited to see our truck. He kept saying, 'My truck!" For background, we bought a Ford F150 in May (6 months ago). Well, Sunday morning, RKZ woke up and emptied the truck (he's energy plus these days). Thank goodness he did! 

I decided to take about 10 minutes to myself and drive up to Starbucks (5 mins away from our rental house). It was nice to drive the truck again and I felt so huge in the cab. About 2 minutes from our house, I was waiting at a light and a teenager rammed into the truck!! He never even put on his breaks, so there was no screech, no warning, just a sudden shove into the truck and that crazy pile-up of cars around me. In all, it was a 4 car pile-up. The boy hit me, I hit the car in front of me and that person hit the truck in front of them. 

To make a pretty long story as short as I can: I am fine. The baby is fine and the truck is probably totalled. Yes, our brand new truck is gone. Do you ever get the feeling we weren't supposed to be here? 

 This is the view from my hospital room. I spent all of Sunday in the hospital monitoring the baby. I never had any labor signs and we're both fine.

The baby's pulse. He's tough.

"I'm goming home!"

RKZ and Uncle are about 30 minutes away. Everyone has had looooong naps (yeah!) so that we can stay up and smile through the reunion. Can't wait. More tomorrow.

"Just like me - they long to be - close to you..."

We're closing in on the home stretch without RKZ now. True to my "must be busy" nature, I have been running the boys from activity to play date to play ground so that we all don't go crazy. The balance has been making sure the boys are entertained with me not going into labor (ha.ha.ha.) I have felt exactly the same through this entire business and the baby is moving and kicking like a champ, so I continue to not be worried. I'm more worried about Buck and Thunder killing each other as they fight through learning to be friends. I also worry a bit about RKZ and Uncle driving our truck through the frozen tundra to get to us. We're such 21st Century Pioneers (hardly). 

 On Tuesday, we had dinner at our good friends' house & Buck and Connor made Lego toys for hours. It would have been perfect if Thunder hadn't beat up on their 2 year old all night :(

 Buck went to his old school in Calgary for 3 years (from 3 - 5) and we made a lot of close friends there. One of those families is down here in California and staying at Disneyland. We are spending the next few days at their hotel (sleeping at home of course). They are staying at the Grand Californian Hotel. It's amazing. This shot is Thunder and their 3 year old, Dyl in a sleeping bag supplied by the hotel.

Buck & his first "girlfriend", Q. Q's family is staying on the "concierge" level of the hotel. This is a very well hidden secret that there is a concierge lounge with continuous food (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks). It has a giant cupboard filled with games and puzzles. There are coloring pages and free crayons. The alcohol is also included (wine and beer)! Lastly, lovely young concierges wander through the room playing with the kids! We had dinner in the lounge while the kids played and snacked. It was well stocked enough for all of us to happily eat and dessert came out at 8! Story time is right after that, where the kids put on jammies and listen to stories read by a character. Then, off to bed! We all decided that this was the best extra Disney money ever spent. They will never eat a meal in the park.

"So happy together..."

Just home from another dinner at a friend's house. I'm really using all the cards while RKZ is in Canada. He and his brother (Uncle) are driving our truck from Calgary to Southern California beginning this Friday. Until then, the boys and I simply drive around from family member to acquaintance to reliable old friend reunion in search of a schedule. I have loved seeing so many people we missed but I'm NOT loving the constant fighting and hitting and psychosis of 2 boys who are spending way too much time together. We all need some alone time right about now. 

So far, we have had dinner with some dear friends who introduced RKZ and I (and now have 3 kids of their own), lunch with one of my closest friends from teaching days, we have spent countless days bothering my wonderful Aunt K (including today as she watched the boys during a doctor's appointment); and I continue to drop in on one of my best mommy friends (we'd be friends without kids too) whose house I just left. Thunder took the opportunity to abuse her 2 year old, but it's telling that she didn't mind too much. I was horrified. 

I have also joined a mommy's group (that phrase is awful, I know) and I signed Buck up for a one-day-a-week thing. Lastly, I feel fine and the baby moves and kicks non-stop, so that end is good too. 

Here are some pictures of a great game we've been playing daily around here. The game is based on a series of kid's books which are totally hilarious and I highly recommend them. Buck laughs out loud at all of them (but mainly loves: "The Pigeon Wants a Puppy.") 

 The object of the game is to get your bus around the board and pick up the different prize tiles. You have to do this as you avoid the pigeon who can steal all of your tiles and send you back to start.

The game board. If you know the books, the board is based on places in them. It's fun and easy for 2 - 41 year olds. I know that RKZ will love to play it when he gets here!

"Love is in the air - lots of love is everywhere"

Wow, I can honestly say that I didn't know Valentine's Day was such a big deal. Maybe I just was too busy to notice until now - or maybe we didn't watch so much toddler TV in the past. Every show and every themed kids' program is about Valentines. It's weird - and it's making Buck paranoid that we should be celebrating more. I have always resented this holiday being so close to my own birthday. After years of valentine printed presents, a girl gets sick of things. RKZ called me from Calgary and said, "Oh, happy Valentine's day" at the end of the conversation. We laughed at the romance in our lives. 

Today is REALLY important because it is Grandma Duchesses' birthday. That's a theme for a day that I can get behind. 

Life here in California is getting more routine for us. The kids and I have been driving all over the place meeting up with friends and remembering why we loved living here before. Here are just a couple of pictures from last Friday: 

 Buck already has a good friend - JB, who's 4 1/2 - we all went to the beach (JB's mom, little brother, Thunder and I). It was in the 70's (20'sC) and Buck and JB took their shirts off and ran to the water. The water was FREEZING to CB (other mom) and I. But the boys stayed in the water for three or so hours racing waves. Amazing.

Thunder also really liked the beach - but he wanted to spend the time digging in the sand. My favorite part of the day was the fact that both boys fell asleep in the car on the drive home. I am only slowly getting used to the time we're spending on the freeway.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANDMA N!!

"Everything's gonna be - alright"

No picture today because it was busy (so far). Just keeping up with what's going on around here.

First, this morning, Buck had his "Kindergarten evaluation" for entering Kinder next year at what we hope will be his new school. We're guessing he passed as he's already been in Kindergarten for 1/2 of a year in Canada. Just for the sake of background, Buck is an August baby. The "cut off" month for birthdays in Calgary is January, putting our boy squarely in the middle of his peers. Here in California, the cut-off is September, which would put Buck in the very back of the pack age-wise. If he begins K again in the fall, he'll be one of the older kids with a bit of experience under his belt. All the people I've read or consulted or whatever are very clear that it doesn't make a huge difference until boys are 11 or 12. When puberty kicks in, it's a much bigger deal to be the youngest boy in a class. We are also glad that Buck will be starting school with a crowd of kids who are also starting new (there is no pre-school at his new school). I find (as a frequent mover) that it's always best to be transitioning when everyone else is. The new K teacher was very nice to us and said, "Officially, you'll hear back next week. Unofficially, you have nothing to worry about." I was glad to hear it, since I never worried until she said that. Also, we had a "how do I get my princess in" Grandma waiting next to us, so that made us think we should be more serious about this "testing." When you consider that we were sitting in the nice courtyard of a tiny elementary school, it makes the entire process funny.

Secondly today, RKZ headed back to Calgary to finalize our move. He'll be gone until Feb. 20th. I was talking about our situation with my Aunt K (she's very wise).  We talked about adjusting after/during a move. I have to say that I do miss my busy Calgary life (so does Buck as he tells me everyday) but mainly, I just miss RKZ. This whole bed rest and waiting thing has been the hardest because I simply wish RK were here.

But - I did find this fun blog today: day tripping mom I am planning to use all the ideas I can while RKZ is away. I will tire out these boys (and try to spare myself) if it's the last thing I do. 

"We're coming to America..." (homage to Ralph)

 Our rental house living room. 

 RKZ - "The Phantom" - from the rental house loft

 Thunder spend the entire day saying, "Apple Juice." 

5 year olds hate to take normal pictures. Any time they can stick out their tongues, they are happy. 

Day 2 in the rental house. We're about to have dinner and I am mourning the fact that RKZ has to leave tomorrow for Calgary. There is a lot to get finished, but I selfishly want my husband back. The boys and I have been having a good time driving all over Southern California and stopping by random playgrounds in the sunshine. 

Some things I had forgotten about So Cal (excuse the jargon): 

1. The traffic is BAD and it's very, very FAST. 

2. I hate the 91 freeway. 

3. I love US Costco stores. 

4. Shopping is a recreation here as much as Calgary and it's not fun with 2 little boys who hate shopping. 

5. I need to use my cell phone all the time, so blue tooth is essential.

6. I can get lost faster than I put on my seat belt.  

7. Did I mention that I LOVE the sunshine? 

"Sun!Sun!Sun! Here it comes!"

Feb. 8th at the park in sunny Southern California! 

This time I have a seriously good reason for letting so much time lapse (Jan. 25 to Feb. 8th - seriously?)

RKZ and I headed down to Southern California to look for a house to buy in the last week of January. I have to say that we were really looking forward to some time alone together in between moving countries and having a new baby. It was warm and promising when we landed.

We got off the plane around 10:30 am and were immediately looking for houses for 2 or 3 days (I forget). We looked mostly in the Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa area because this is where we had lived before we left for Canada. Sadly, the houses were disappointing for one reason or another and we felt that we just couldn't find a place where we felt truly at home. In between house hunting, RKZ found some time to go into the office and we visited what we hoped would be Buck's new school. We loved the school and I loved calling people from his office phone while I looked out at the view of the ocean from his new office!

Onto the crazy portion of the story, I also had scheduled a "routine" visit to the OBGYN who will be delivering our newest Little One in May. It could not have been LESS routine in the end! When we began the "getting to know you" portion of the appointment, I was amazed at how the look on the nurse-practioner's face changed with my answer to every question:

RN - how far along were you when you delivered your first baby? Me - 35 weeks.           RN - how old are you? Me - 41  RN - what has your current OB said about your progress? Me - I haven't seen an OB yet. 

There were a lot of other random questions before the new OBGYN came in and asked the same questions and then sent me downstairs for an ultrasound.  They also suggested I see a specialist! I felt that this was a bit of over-kill and was a bit crabby about the ultrasound (I've had 3 already that were fine).

Well, once finished with the u/s, the doctor sent me to the hospital because they were afraid I was in early labor! I was immediately put on full bed rest and told I couldn't return to Canada! It's funny to say that I was relieved because for a bit it looked as though I would be stuck in the hospital for 3 more months! (I'm paraphrasing quite a bit through this story). I went to see the specialist a few days later; but, not before RKZ had to return to Calgary to help my parents (the Joads) take care of our kids! The specialist lightened the bed rest a bit. I still can't take walks or lift anything, but I can take care of Buck and Thunder until the baby arrives.

I had a week without the boys or RK but with a lot of crying and feeling useless as my parents and RKZ took care of everything dealing with our move from Calgary. I was depressed with not getting to say good-bye to so many close friends and I couldn't believe that I could not do those "final checks" of my personal things and the things I really wanted the boys to have down here while we wait for the movers. Talk about learning to let go! It was more like "forced" letting go, but I got the message by the end.

After 10 days of not seeing them, RKZ was able to fly himself and the boys down to my Aunt K's house (where I have so thankfully been staying this entire time). "Thank God for my family," is all I can think at this point. They have saved my sanity. And my parents are Saints for helping the boys feel so loved and safe and happy so that they never really even noticed I wasn't there (sad for me, good for them).
Now the boys are here with me and RKZ is spending this week helping me and working from his new office.

On a positive note, what can I say about the weather here? It's been averaging 70/21C the entire time while snow is dumping on Calgary and it's very cold. The boys were getting stir crazy this morning and we just went to a local playground for an hour. We all got a tiny bit sunburned and the boys ran and climbed like crazy. I sat on a bench and drank Starbucks, wishing I could share the wealth with my girlfriends in Calgary.

Tonight, we move into the rental house which will be our home until the middle of March. Oh yeah, we bought a house very near to my aunt and uncle's house - 25 or 30 mins from the beach where we were first looking. That's an entirely different story...I'll try and post daily now if the wireless works in the rental and you'll read it all (unless you're already bored with the story) :)