Maybe I'll put that in my book. A character that loves balloons.
Ok, I'm going to have to go and stockpile some sleep. I was having
trouble keeping my eyes open today.
Sooner than I'm ready for too.
We were also getting a little concerned at church today when we were
waiting to get set apart for our new callings. Rini was starting to
really fuss and carry on, probably because she wasn't used to sticking
around after church. For some odd reason, we had Dory with us, and
that provided sufficient distraction for her. Then she was walking
around, and she stopped at the south coat closest, pointed inside and
said, "Paka!" Wouldn't you know, someone had left a Makka-pakka doll
on top of the coat racks. I got it down, and told her that it wasn't
hers, and she could play with it now, but we would have to leave it
behind.
She was very understanding of that, and she had a ball with that
little guy. Especially once she figured out that it can sing. She's
still happy with the little Makka-pakka doll that she has at home, but
just for the fact that she was happy for those extra moments while we
were set apart made all the difference.
The funny thing is that the Bishop had never heard of "In the Night
Garden," and everytime we mentioned Makka-pakka, he thought we talking
about Michael Peca. That would be funny if the Oilers defenceman
(forward? I don't really know) sang the Makka-pakka song and did the
corresponding dance. Hee hee!
I'm just amazed that Rini was able to see that doll in the coat room
since the light was off!
Earlier, I mentioned that she was getting into the whole, "Seh, GO!"
thing, and now, she actually enunciates the word 'set'. Now she says,
"Set. Go!" with a very sharp 'tuh' at the end of 'set.' I was so
pleased! Yes, small sucesses, but next thing I know, she'll be asking
for $20 to put on her cell phone bill.
Today was another SRIGU moments. We went to the park, and the whole
way there she was saying "Paok, paok, paok." She knew where we going,
and she was letting everyone know. Mind, she wasn't very loud, and I
only realized what she was saying in retrospect. At the time I
thought she was saying the french word for "seal," but I figured that
I was mistaken. Turns out I was right.
At the public recreational area, which my daughter refered to as the
Thessaloniki Football team, the first thing she wanted to do was go on
the swings. At first, we went on the baby swings, and I realized that
she's gettnig a bit big for them when her bot got stuck when I got her
out. She then wanted to try the bigger swings, and I obliged by
getting on the swing, and then putting her on my lap. She squired and
struggled, and I let her down because I thought she wanted to go on
the slide next. Surprise, she went to the swing next to me, and tried
to get on it. I helped her onto the seat, told her to hang on - which
she did - and I gave her a push. That was the SRIGU moment. When I
saw her holding onto that swing, smiling and giggling and saying
"Wheee" as she went back and forth, I felt a little heartbroken.
She really is growing up.
We went for dinner before we went swimming, and decided to try
something new, and we went to a Chinese restuarant close to MRC. Our
waitress brought some fortune cookies for Rini, and we got Rini to say
thank you. Of course, she only says it in Mandarin right now, so when
she said "Sheh-sheh," our waitress's jaw dropped in surprise. "She
learn Manadrin? How she learn?" We then explained that Rini watches
a TV program where they teach Chinese, and she was further surprised.
When we left, she told Rini "Tzai Chen!" Rini tried to parrot her,
but all she got out was "CHEN!"
What a precious girl we have. :)
Mind, we all went to Wal-Mart for the first time in about a year, in
order to use the gift certificates from Jess and Chris. We got a
couple of movies that we've been meaning to pick up. I was trying to
see if there was a PS2 game that caught my eye, but nothing drew me
in. Most of the movies at Wal-Mart didn't jump out at me either, but
there were a few that caught my eye. The Black Cauldron, The
Aristocats, and we also got a Christmas present for Erik as well.
Yes, we are actually doing some advance shopping this time around!
I picked up Caitlin's workout bra yesterday, and today she went and
got a one month membership at Millwoods Rec Center. She immediately
put both to use, and has plans to continue attending for the next 30
days. Probably three times a week, if not more. Bonus if she can go
everyday, but we'll see how that works. How it is right now, Rini and
I will have some daddy-daughter time while Caitlin goes to work out.
I wonder how this is going to work next month, with NaNoWriMo going
on. I guess we'll see!
By the time I went to vote I was plenty awake, and I had to be, since
I was chasing around Rini for a good part of the time that we were at
the polling station! I'm not sure if she fully understood why we were
there, but she enjoyed the time outside!
It's hard to explain to children how war works, and why we wage it.
I'm going to have to do it some time, but I think that I'll be using
examples from the Book of Mormon, ie. 2060 strilping warriors, Capitan
Moroni, Teancum, just to name a few. Righteous people who just wanted
freedom for their homes and families.
I seem to recall a radio news story which told of a survey amoung
college students, and maybe some high school students, regarding what
they would accept as payment to give up their right to vote. Some
were satisfied with an iPod. Although your voice may seem small an
insignifigant, especially with stories of fraud and miscounts of
ballots, I still have faith in the system.
Speaking of which, I still need to hanker down and investigate who to
vote for on Tuesday. If only Mr. Kimball hadn't retired. Well, one
candidates headquarters is located across the road from our home, so
we could check it out tomorrow, or Friday.
Another reason I feel she is strongly attached to balloons is because
of her coniptions whenever we take away the balloon that we did get
her. Even when we tied the balloon to her wrist, she would shriek and
shriek! Even on her zipper pull, SHRIEK! In the end, we tied it to
one of her mittens, and then put her mitten on, and she was fine. I
don't understand, but I am glad it worked.
We also bumped into some people from our ward, the Habings, as we were
walking to Safeway. Funny, but I never remember talking to very many
people from our ward outside of church. Probably because whenever we
were out, we never were out when people in the ward were typically out
and about! I love this new job!
I'm thinking that she learned the climbing into her highchair from her
cousin, who is six months and two days older than her, but I'm not
sure where she learned her new favourite phrase. It's still a bit of
baby babble, but from what I could decipher, she was trying to say
"Ready... Set... GO!" The "GO" was very audible, and the "Set" was a
little quieter, but I'm not sure if she ever said "Ready." She would
just repeat, "Shehhhh, GO!" The "Shehh" would stay at the same
volume, but the "GO" was progressively louder with each repitition.
We had to shush her after awhile, but she said it for Grandma over the
phone. I should see if Rini would want to talk with Grammie and
Grandpa. I should at the very least send a CD with those videos we
have of Rini. Although I took them on my cell phone, they are OK
quality, so long as you watch them on a small screen! Our digital
camera can take video, but it doesn't record any sound, so it does not
help for recording any kind of speech development. Maybe we should
get a video camera. HA HA HA HA!!!! No. I would rather save the
money for her first bicycle. Or some kind of prohibitive expense,
like a bed. That's going to be rearing its head sooner than we
realize. I hate that thought. Maybe I'm a bad person, since the
wicked take the truth to be hard.
Caitlin: {Rolls eyes}
My idea is to follow what my co-worker did. Went from crib, to
mattress on the floor, to single bed. Japan they have bed mats, and
even have meals on the floor too. Yes, I know, this is not Japan, but
that does not mean that we have to have everything.
Today, he gave a similar address about appreciating the journey. How
we shouldn't wait for things to happen, or for the right time to come,
because by and large, the 'perfect' time never does come. Hence I
would have say, again, that I am very grateful for my parents. I'm
not sure if I thanked them appropriately for helping me with repaying
my student loans the past couple years, but especially this past year
is was keeping us alive financially. When August hit, I was truly
worried, because I didn't know how we were going to get by if I didn't
get a new job. I was stressed to the point that I could not sleep,
nor find comfort in the fact that I was on vacation. I was pretty
much pleading with Heavenly Father that I would get this new job, and
by so doing, be able to provide better for my family.
I did get the new job, and in retrospect, my parents were not only
helping us financially, but spiritually as well. Since I didn't have
to worry about the finances as much, I could dedicate what little time
to my family. Time is one of the most valuble resources we have, and
it's best the we use it wisely.
That was something mentioned in the Priesthood session as well. Elder
Uchtdorf said, "The Lord loves a noble servent, instead of a
self-serving noble." A little bit different in message, I suppose,
but the underlying idea is the same. We are more of what the Lord
wants us to be when we think outside of ourselves. Or, "Stand close
together and lift where you stand" also hits it on the mark too.
I'm very glad that I took notes last night! I'm also amazed that the
Saturday session has already been video archived and posted online!
We watched Elder Worthlin's talk again this morning, and I was
corrected by who said what. I didn't take notes for that session.
Oops.
I come back to my parents, and the fact that they instilled in me a
love for the words of the prophets. Back in my day (I can't believe I
just wrote that), we stayed at the Stake Center for six hours on both
Saturday and Sunday to take advantage of all sessions of Conference.
Sometimes I would wonder why we had to stay, but now I have to try to
fret when Rini distracts me, which is quite easy for a 19-month old to
do! Amazing what a couple of decades will do, eh?
The biggest surprise was the announcement of the Calgary Alberta
Temple! Wow! I would think that Jess, Chris, and Liz and company in
Southern Alberta should be quite pleased with that announcement! I'm
going to guess that the next Canadian temple will be in Ottawa, but
then again, I could be wrong. Vancouver might get their own temple
before then. The important thing, for me anyway, would be to attend
the temple here in Edmonton. That was the reason they built it. I
was planning to attend sometime this month, but I still need to get a
hold of Dad. He's the only with the plan, and I think he said that it
would be on the 18th of the month. I could be wrong, but I hope it's
not next weekend.
October 11 I'm helping some friends move, and they have already lost
some of their helpers. That's how the chips fall sometimes.
If all goes well tomorrow, we'll be heading home about 8pm. If not, I
don't know what we're going to do. But I have been charged with
keeping Rini occupied, or else we won't be going home. Caitlin needs
to get her sewing project done for tomorrow, and unless she can focus
her undivided attetion, it won't get done. Sad but true.
Intertesting thing of note. Rini is starting to favour her left hand.
I am quite sure that it's too early to tell if she will be
left-handed, but this girl is quite the creative sort. I wonder how
well she would relate to Auntie Liz.
There was also a talk in Conference, I believe it was Elder
Worthlin's, in which I was reminded about a time I learned true
terror. Kind of silly in retrospect, but I was never quite as scared
as I've been in my life before as when I thought I lost Rini. I was
out front, putting something in the car, and I turned around, and Rini
was gone. I looked on the road, not there. Across the street, not
there. In the backyard, not there. Only then did I think of looking
West, and there she was on their steps, looking at their kitty. I
usually don't worry about Rini, but at that moment, I was in a panic,
and terror was contorting my mind to all sorts of bad ends.
Made me wonder if our Heavenly Father thinks the same when his spirit
children lose their way. He knows how things will work, and he is
eternally patient, but he is our Father, and knows that we can make
mistakes and get lost from time to time.
