Monday, June 24, 2019

It's SUMMMMMER !

I just saw a Instagram post about having a Summer Bucket List and it brought back memories of when I used to do this with the kids. I would get a large poster board, and lots of coloured paper/stickers/felt pens and we'd make lists in a few categories:


  • things we want to do
  • places we want to go
  • stuff we want to learn
  • people we want to hang out with

(I have photos of our posters, somewhere, in boxes in the basement. My (former) life is still in storage. Other than my photo albums, there isn't much I miss. What does this say about me? I think it means I can live happily without the stuff that was oh so important as I was creating a home for me and the kids. Time spent with people > stuff and things.)

Getting back to Summer Bucket Lists... this was the instapost that inspired me:








































... along with his 'how to':














































































Haha, ink beats screen?
I think he means ink BEFORE screen, seeing as he posted his inked list to a screen.

ANYway, all that to say, I made up a Summer Bucket List too. And I wrote it out first, in my journal (while sitting on a bench at Kits Beach on Fri June 21 watching the sun set on the longest day of the year, listening to some vegan 20-something-year-olds behind me on a blanket talk about their typical morning routines) which I'll post here because it's not real unless its on the internet.



Summer 2019 Bucket List


  1. Make summer playlist. Might need help. Ask Facebook hive for recommendations.
  2. Have pretty feet all summer.  ⬜Pedicure - July  ⬜Pedicure - August
  3. Go to dentist a million times. ⬜Get tooth #1 capped. ⬜Get tooth #2 capped
  4. Replace/upgrade phone AND GET A SEXY PHONE CASE THIS TIME
  5. Download a yoga/stretching app (or fine something suitable on Netflix?)
  6. Read all of Louise Penny's books - Books 3 - 16 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
  7. Empty Master Bedroom closet at the lake
  8. Sort through my bedroom closet in the basement
  9. Take all resulting bags (of cleaning out closets) to Thrift Store (before Fall)
  10. Bring contents of Under-the-Stairs closet upstairs for mom to sort through
  11. See Spiderman movie with kids
  12. Level up in Pokemon Go (Level 37)
  13. Buy new runners
  14. Buy new shoes for work
  15. Attend NT Wright event (July 24)
  16. Temporarily suspend gym membership.Walk 50,000 steps each week of summer. 12 weeks: ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
  17. Learn a new skill (?)
  18. Get camera repaired.
  19. Plan, prepare, offer a Basecamp 3 training session at work
  20. Lead devos once
  21. Do not accept/use a single plastic bag when shopping for groceries. Enter stores prepared.
  22. Think about trying Whole 30. In August. But don't beat yourself up if this doesn't happen. It sounds awful
  23. Tackle the filing at work. Maybe do this in 4 efforts. File for two hours ⬜⬜⬜⬜
  24. Read bookclub book: The Eyre Affair
  25. Walk in 8 different neighbourhoods. Drop off books in a shared library stand. ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
  26. Take 5 sunny days off work (unused vacation days) Go to a different beach each time: ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
  27. Try kayaking. Or not.
  28. Watch the sun set from the lookout/viewpoint on Cypress Mountain
  29. Talk to someone smart about trees, specifically about the ones in front of the house at Cultus.
  30. Go to Bard on the Beach or Theatre Under the Stars
  31. Ride the Roller Coaster at Playland.
  32. Make some decisions about May 2020 trip with kids
  33. Move furniture into alcove in basement. Will need boys help. Be creative in asking. 
  34. Celebrate July birthdays
  35. Celebrate August birthdays
  36. Read Brene' Brown's Dare to Lead book
  37. Try blogging 3 Things I'm Thankful For five times a week? 
  38. Possibly come up with 12 more things. Was aiming for 50 items on this list. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Max graduated from BCIT!
Marketing Management (just like me. And just like his dad.)
SO very proud. 















































































































































(Her attempting our last name, Ohhhhmellllanickkk)







































Shaking all the hands, in real life and on the big screens:






















































Watching him walk across the stage, and especially watching him walk OFF STAGE was a bit emotional for me. I know he's All Grown Up, but seeing him in that cap n gown, reminded me of his Kindergarten graduation. And how proud I was of him them, just starting his education. It was the beginning of him being independent; learning things and meeting people, and establishing relationships with other adults and being responsible for himself...

As much as I wanted to be at his side through it all (be at all of my kids' sides) - that's not how it works. This mom-thing is just so very hard on one's heart. The longing to be right there, is overwhelmingly strong.  The desire to know, 'how was your day? what did you learn? did you make new friends? what was your favorite subject? who did you eat lunch with?' is just as strong when they go to post secondary institutions as it is when they go to elementary school.

Maybe daughters share the day-to-day experiences with their moms? I've ached with not-knowing anything since my boys hit grade 7.

So getting a glimpse of his last two years, by watching him do this 🠟 filled my heart.
































And I'd like to believe that his is one of those faces looking up at me. :)



































































































































Max told me about this event on Friday night, at The Keg, while we were celebrating my birthday and his accomplishment. He mentioned it was on Wednesday morning. I said to myself, "Write it down on your calendar first thing tomorrow. Get more details." Which I totally forgot to do.

On Wednesday morning, he called me just as I had swung my legs over the edge of my bed. Mostly still asleep, I answered:

Me: Hi
Him: Are you on your way?
Me, looking at the clock to figure out the time, day, date, season, year: Uh. Wha?
Him: It starts in 45 minutes.
Me: OK.
Him: Have you left yet? You probably won't make it.
Me: Uh. Hon? Left for what?
Him: My ceremony. If you haven't left yet, tho, you probably won't make it. So don't worry about it.
Me: Right. Shit. It's today. I'm on my way. I'll be there.
Him: It's OK if you can't make it. It starts at 9.
Me: Yup, no worries. I'll be there.

I'd washed my hair the night before and went to bed with it wet, uncombed.
It was clean at least.
I washed my face. Brushed my teeth. Got dressed. Sent an email to work, saying I needed some personal time... Grabbed my make up and camera and was in my truck 6 minutes later.
My make up was applied at red stop lights and I prayed the entire way there. "Please let me get there on time. PLEASE let me get there on time. Please, no accidents or delays on the freeway. Pleeeeeease. I know You've got important things, life changing things to do right now, but could I please watch my boy walk across the stage."

I missed the entrance to the parking lot by a block, so I had to pull a couple U'ees, but I found my way back. Me and 5 other moms were running from BCITS's lower lot to Willindon Church's auditorium like we were in the mom's race at Sports Day. Out of breath, but victorious, we all entered the front doors at 8:56.

That's the story behind my face and hair looking like this:


























(The full sun wasn't helping. Softer shadows would've been kinder.)

Still. This day was a highlight for me. And I am just so, so proud of him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Summer days. And summer nights.
2. My boys.
3. Clean sheets

xo
































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