she's sweet when she sleeps.

I'm going to try and make this short and sweet. I just wanted to write a quick gratitude entry. 

 As most of you know we are moving to Calgary at the end of this month. Chris went on ahead of the rest of us on August 2nd. It already feels like he has been gone a month. I still have two and a half weeks without him. I miss him terribly but I am grateful for modern technology and that we can talk to him on skype  every day. I know it means a lot to him to get to see and speak to the children. They miss him as well but are doing much better then I expected. Miete says she doesn't miss him so much because he is still alive. Lilli continually asks him if he has found her any friends in Calgary yet. Leif asks him about the train he took a picture of downtown Calgary, and Violet kisses his face on the computer screen.

 Several obvious things that I have noticed in Christophers absence are 1st that I don't have near as much laundry to wash. My loads are smaller and less frequent. I never realized my husband was such a clothes horse, always changing his outfits and throwing clean clothes in the laundry. I'm just kidding, that is Miete and Lilli, but seriously the laundry pile has gone down and I no longer have to wash his stinky cycling clothes. The other thing I notice is that the kids junky cereal is lasting  a lot longer. Those are the only two positives. I'm doing more dishes and folding more laundry, taking out more garbage, bathing the kids more, changing more diapers, and running a whole lot less. I am lucky that I have such a useful husband.

 There are quite a few other wonderful people who have stepped in and offered their help in my Christophers absence. We have been invited to dinner at friends of ours, also Leif got to wrestle with the father which meant alot to him. It's something he does with Christopher on a nightly basis. I've had a good friend of mine show up at bed time and help get my kids clean and off to bed, and then continue to clean my disaster of a house. I've had my sister come over and fold several loads of laundry. I had an other friend bring me over several freezer dinners and bags of fresh produce and cookies. So kind! Others have watched my children and offered their help, even phoned to see how I am doing. And two separate families have offered to lend us money, one of those families I don't even know. I am embarrassed to mention this last one, but very grateful to their thoughtful generosity. It is an expensive move, and paychecks may not come in time for a rent deposit. I am so grateful for my amazingly helpful and supportive friends and family. I love Maple Ridge and the great people here.

  It saddens me to think that some think it is not self reliant to ask and accept help from others. We all need to have opportunities to show charity. Service is a huge part of my religious belief and I am honored by others selfless service. It makes me want to do more to serve, and serving feels good too. So thank you to all you fantastic people. You know who you are, and I love and appreciate you.

 Me and my darling dearest.