Celebrations

By far, the most important event being anticipated at the Bloomquist household is the upcoming 5th birthday of Lily and Sophie. They have been anxious for months and now that it is close enough to be visual, they are counting down days on the calendar. I get frequent drawings and explanations of what their cakes are to look like and be made of (not my idea of gourmet or even appealing) and they have daily conversations and compromises with each other about where they will go on there birthday date and what sacrifices they will make for each other on that day (trading beds for example) and verbally worry about what they will wear because all they have is "four year old clothes." I love celebrations; I go out of my way to create traditions that require partying, but this is the second year that I have been intimidated by expectations that aren't really voiced but are ethereally wished and I find it hard to fulfill phantom desires. I have tried to get them to be descriptive with their visions, but I'm not sure it's solidified enough in their minds, they just know it is supposed to be magic. Fairy Godmother I am not, but wish me luck.

Jordan also has a birthday coming soon. How is it possible that he is turning 18!? Fred and I went on a date Friday and ended by purchasing some birthday pants for the twins. The checker, who was probably in her late 50's commented on our buying two pair of the same pants, so I explained that we had twins and every time I tried to get them different things they always ended up wanting what the other one had. She mentioned how it must be nice to get a sitter and have a night out together. I explained that we had older children so the sitter part was easy. She seemed surprised that we had older children, but when I told her we had 6 and the oldest was almost 18, she was speechless. She finished up our purchase and finally said, "Well.....congratulations, you two look great!" I'm not sure what she expected a couple with 6 children to look like, (she mentioned that she only had one grown daughter) but it made me feel young and happy. I turn 40 this year, and unlike 30(which is the only birthday that made me want to cry), I feel empowered! I have some life experience under my belt, and no longer mourn the passing of youth or feel the need to prove anything to anybody but myself, and the next half of life appears brimming with unexplored opportunity and endless learning and .....to be honest, lots of mother tears. But, even that feels heart-wrenchingly fulfilling.

Fred and I are planning a trek family reunion sometime around Spring Break and I am excited to have our "family" back together for a fun evening. I'm trying to write up a small memoir from our experience to give as a gift to my trek children, and will post it here when I finish so that I can have a written history of that life changing week. I wish that I had recorded my feelings at the time, when they were so powerfully tangible, but I have enough pictures and journaling that it comes back vividly when I start pondering those days.

JORDAN'S EAGLE PROJECT IN PROGRESS

Whistle while you work

Building the structure

Almost finished covering the backside.