A Lot Going On
It was a busy weekend. We started off by having Rocky over on Friday night to start on the rather substantial task of magically transforming the dark and gloomy mancave into a bright and cheerful baby room. I say 'magically' because I really can't take credit for any of the work.
Geoff and I spent a few hours with Anja in Assiniboine Park on Saturday, capturing some autumn-inspired maternity photos. Later in the afternoon, Rocky came back and worked on the baby room while Geoff tackled another coat on the exterior house trim. I occupied myself by making the boys dinner and keeping them company (read: probably annoying them by sitting right in the way and yapping while they were trying to be productive).
The baby room's looking great - and the paint job will be finished by tomorrow night. I'm so excited. Pictures to follow (baby room AND maternity).
Saturday ended with a phone call from my dad, confirming what I'd been kind of expecting all day. My parents were home from spending the day at the ER - for the third time in ten days. My mom's having a rough time with this round of chemo, and still having complications with her port. I don't know why I knew... I just felt it all day. So while it wasn't a surprise, it was definitely one of those times when I hated being right.
I'm not really sure what to say about today. I'm just not myself right now. I woke up feeling extra-emotional, and I'm pretty sure that's how I'll go to sleep tonight as well. First, it was off to Niverville to help lead worship one last time. It was hard to know that I was saying goodbye to the team (at least for a little while) but, honestly, it was harder to be up on stage and not have my mom in her regular spot. She's occupied that place over the last decade, singing along and cheering us on. It just felt strange to have her missing now at the end.
A few songs in, I noticed that my dad had snuck into the very back of the balcony. It meant so much that he came.
After church, I went to go spend some time with my parents. It went about how I had imagined it would. It's hard to see my mom this sick, and both of them so tired. I'm not really sure what else to say. I was emotional to begin with, and that time at home was just enough to break my heart. I think I cried all the way back to the city. It's just starting to feel like it's been a long time since we've heard some good news about my mom. And we all need it. It hurts so deeply for me to see my family like this. And I hate that there is absolutely nothing I can do to fix it, or even to help. I know that good days are coming again... I really believe that. But today was not one of them.
Geoff and I took his brother Kevin out for dinner this evening to (quietly) acknowledge his 32nd birthday. I felt bad that I was in such an introverted mood tonight, but fortunately Kevin's quiet enough that I *still* probably seemed chatty :)
I'm not really looking forward to tackling a Monday tomorrow morning. The idea's a little bit overwhelming. It's kind of relief to know that it's my second-last Monday morning for a while...
Labels: Anja, Baby Talk, Can You Handle The Truth?, Family, Rocky, The Boy, The C Word
Weekend Update: The End of Summer
So Curve launched on Friday, amid much fanfare in our office. I was not a part of that fanfare. I was sitting in a basement lab, trying not to puke up an otherwise empty stomach full of orange glucose drink and waiting for my next blood and urine tests (which were repeated four times in three hours). My mom graciously volunteered to drive in and sit with me all morning, which was awesome - it made the time fly by. When Curve was scheduled to launch, we made an excuse to the lab techs about needing something from the car, and then sat in my car and listened to the launch. About ten seconds later, there was a tapping on my window. I rolled it down and was greeted by an angry lab tech who wanted me to know that I was obligated to sit in their dingy nasty lab until my sentence had been served. And so we were dragged back to the basement.
I made it back to work for the afternoon, and the whole Cocoon crew headed out for a celebratory round after work (a round of cranberry juice with a healthy dose of heckling for the pregnant girl...). Then I headed over to Tiber River for a pedicure with Darcie. Kind of a perfect start to a Long Weekend, if you ask me. The colour is 'Naughty' (which made me giggle) and it's a pretty dark red - almost black - that perfectly captures the essence of Lindsay.
Geoff and I spent Saturday, Sunday, and Monday at the lake with my parents. Aaron, Kevin, Jessica, Rocky, and Emily joined us for the day on Sunday. It was a wonderful, relaxing time... I spent two afternoons on the beach, went for a couple of short walks, sat on the lakeshore, went to bed early, and just generally found myself again. It's absolutely insane to me that summer is over - and that next summer, we'll have a baby to pack up and bring along with us. I'm really looking forward to it, though. Hopefully, Briony will like the lake as much as we do :)
We returned to the Big City just as the rain started to fall. And just in time for me to change and meet up with Erin for the Oasis concert. It made me sooo happy. Seriously. One of my favourite high school bands with one of my favourite high school friends. The music was better live than on their CDs, even if their arrogance made them kind of terrible performers (standing there like you're god and initiating applause for yourself is not exactly modest). It was all part of the fun. And they played every single song I'd hoped they would - including Wonderwall, Lyla, Champagne Supernova, Rock and Roll Star, and (happy sigh) Don't Look Back in Anger.
And elsewhere, outside the Wright residence, a rather motley-looking crew applied the first primer coat of our new stucco coating. Unfortunately, they began on Saturday and then had the rest of the weekend off. And now it's raining, which I'm guessing will delay them again. Not the biggest deal in the world... Except that our earth-toned new house colour looks way beyond ridiculous with our old blue window trim colour (that we can't repaint until the coating is totally complete). Lovely. I know it will be very worth it... And in the meantime, I'm learning humility :)
Labels: Cocoon, Concerts, Emily, Erin, Family, House Stuff, Rocky, The Boy, Weekend Update
Weekend Update: Tired and Hungry Edition
FRIDAY: My work week ended with all kinds of drama last week. Specifically, the person in our office who is in charge of keeping our space clean decided that they shouldn't have to do it anymore - and suggested a new policy that whoever's turn it was to clean the bathroom (we all take weeks) should also mop and clean up the entrance / lobby area. I had issues with the new policy to begin with - and then I found out whose turn it was last week. I was stuck dealing with weeks (possibly months) of sullenly neglected floors. Ugh. Thankfully, after an hour of toiling on my own, Christine and Dolly both pitched in and helped. After that, a few of us went for drinks until Geoff was done work and met me for dinner. It was a super-fun ending to a really, really loooong day.
SATURDAY: Not a sleep-in day. I got up, made myself semi-presentable, and headed out to visit my herbal consultant. Long story, which I will share later. From there, I spent the afternoon having tea at my brother's place - delightful - before picking up groceries and heading home to do some laundry. Very fabulous and exciting :)
SUNDAY: REALLY not a sleep-in day. I got up at 6, started getting ready, stopping getting ready and drove Geoff to work, came home and continued to get ready, then headed to Niverville for an 8 am soundcheck. Did soundcheck, met my mom for breakfast, went to church. Are you keeping up with me so far?
I had so many Sunday highlights. The first was getting to SING. I hadn't been able to sing in church with my team in weeks - more like months. My health has just not allowed me to. But it felt SO GOOD to be back. Just walking into soundcheck, I couldn't help smiling. I can't describe why it means so much to me. It just does. I have a totally unique and powerful worship experience when I'm on stage with that group of people, and it's such a joy.
And my aunt Verna was in church, and joined my parents and I for lunch. I hadn't seen her since her heart attack scare a few weeks ago, and it just made my happy to spend some time with her. She's special to me.
And then, I got to spend some time with my parents, which I haven't done in a while. My mom and I spent a chunk of the afternoon in their hot tub, which was so nice.
And it's not over yet... In the early evening, I headed over to Kathy and Greg's place with Emily and Rocky where we enjoyed dinner together (I brought my own... sigh) and then we all made an appearance at our church's Young Adults group. Yes, people gasped in amazement... hehe. Kathy was speaking on the topic of heaven, and she did such an incredible job. I was so very proud of her, and I was encouraged and challenged by what she shared.
Finally, I set out for home. And the roads were TERRIBLE. It took me forever to get home, driving 30 km/h on very icy and blustery highways. Shudder. But I arrived safe and sound. And exhausted. And quite happily slept like a log until my blasted alarm went off in the morning.
Labels: Cocoon, Emily, Kathy, My Friends, My Life, Rocky, Weekend Update
Pics from the Oscar Party
The lucky couch dwellers
The rest of the gang
Em's having fun :)
Rocky's all over the dessert potluck concept
Lindsay's camera gets kidnapped
I decide to join the couch people
Labels: Emily, My Friends, Photos, Rocky
