Bricks

My friend 'Dory' recently wrote a post about how much she misses her dad.  In the post she wrote about an analogy that was in the movie 'Rabbit Hole'. Please take a minute and read her post: Three Years Later

After reading that post, I got to thinking about what 'bricks' I carry around with me. I lost my dad in 1990 when I was just shy of 19.  He died of cancer related to Agent Orange from Vietnam.

He would probably laugh that I put this picture up here for all to see. I am not sure what year this was taken, but it was definitely before 1989 and it was Christmas time in our kitchen.  And yes, I believe his pajama's had the 'flap' in the back...lol  I know that this is Christmas because of all of the Tupperware containers on the counter behind him. My Mum always makes a TON of cookies for Christmas and still uses some of those same containers to this day for her cookies.

This picture kind of cracks me up and make me long for those simple times so many years ago.

This is a 'brick' I have carried around with me for many years. Some of the times I have reached in and it really hurt: my wedding and not being able to have a daddy/daughter dance, the birth of my children and watching them grow up, those are just a few times that it has hurt...but after 20+ years it has become sadly, normal.

Sometimes my Mum and I can talk about him and laugh at the things he did (see above photo) or said..."sufficiently safansafied" :)  (his way of saying he was full at dinner) And other times, like recently when going through old photo's we cry or turn them over so we don't cry.

A few years ago our family lost 4 family member within a year and a half. Some of those bricks are still a little heavy but are starting to lighten up. The hurt is still real and fresh at times but it also has become bearable with time.

Thanks 'Dory' for sharing that little part of a movie that has also helped put into words what is sometimes so hard to do.

Stacy

Little S & I

I was going through some pictures looking for a certain one and ran across this one. I usually do not like my picture taken. I don't think I take good pictures at all. But I ran across this one and I love it. I can't remember the last time I loved a picture with me in it, but here it is:

Little S and I were just being silly at my mum's house out in my grandma's living room. Little S loves to take pictures. He often just takes my phone or camera and snaps away. So glad for digital photos!

Do you like to have your picture taken or are you usually the one behind the camera?

Stacy

Games

A few weeks ago we went to my Mum's for a weekend visit. I have mentioned before how much my kids look forward to going to her house because we always play games. It doesn't matter if it is cards or a board game or something else, the kids just love it and so do we. My grandma even comes out and plays with us if we are playing cards. (She is 88 and can still beat us at times)

This is my grandma and my 3 boyz :)

While we were there this time the boyz wanted to play something different. So they went down to the basement and looked on the shelves to try and find something we haven't played in a while or perhaps not at all.

They found an old Michigan Rummy game down there. We skipped the part about the poker hand as none of us really knew the hands and ranks and such.

This is the game board. It came with about 100 chips to use. We used them in no time and needed to find something else to keep us going. Our solution was:

Buttons, lots and lots of buttons. We sorted them out and tried to use the bigger ones as my Mum had just had carpal tunnel surgery and picking up the little buttons were hard for her. We played that game for hours. And we actually just finally decided on a time and quit at about midnight.

Since the kids had so much fun with it, my parents just ordered a bunch of bingo chips that we can use the next time we are down. The boyz can't wait to go back.

Stacy

November 1

I think some of this month is going to be about memories and traditions.

What made me think of this was a simple birthday card I came across last night. It was a simple birthday card, nothing grand or extravagant. It was in a simple blank envelope not addressed to anyone. And when I pulled it out of the envelope it hadn't been signed by anyone either. But I knew exactly who the card was from.

I know without a doubt that my Mummum gave me that card for my birthday.

My Mummum came through the depression and then was a single parent raising her daughter alone as my grandfather died young. So she believes in saving and reusing everything that she can. So in an effort to save money and be able to use a card again, she doesn't sign them. She just inserts the card in the envelope and hands it to the recipient. That way the receiver can then use the card again in the future.

There was a time when she would save wrapping paper as well. Let me tell you it was pure torture on a small child who wrapped a present for her. While we would all rip through our gifts, Mummum would open hers very slowly take great care to not tear the paper. She would then fold it up very neatly and set it aside to be put away and used again in the future.

Sometimes we would even use extra tape in an effort to make her rip the paper...lol

I can think of many more Mummum stories to tell, so I will save those for another day.

-S.