I laugh that because I am the only girl on this raft and I was taking a break from rowing at this point, it looks like I am being transported on a chariot. Row on! |
Momma's Treasure Moments
Loving, Laughing, and Surviving: A peek into the real life of Team Christensen
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Summer Joys
Monday, July 3, 2017
Summer Love
Avind: "Is today a school day?"
Me: "Nope!"
Avind: "Do we have to go to church today?"
Me: No
Avind: "Then what kind of day is it?"
I was able to happily reply, "Summer!"and Avind did a little Avi dance to celebrate. And I joined him.
Teaching is a job that can drive you almost crazy, but I could never give it up because I absolutely love my summer vacations. I am incredibly grateful to be a teacher when summer rolls around. I love having a chance to be Mom and to spend the entire day with the kiddos in PJs. I love the long Montana days. I always vow to get to bed early and wake up early...and I never do! I am a night owl at heart and can't get myself to bed when the sun is out. But I love the cool crisp mornings, too, before the world is awake. I love hearing the sprinklers and running in them with the kids. I love cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (Well, admittedly that is not just a summer thing.) I love the pink and purple sunsets and the smell of BBQs. I love visiting the library and coming home with dozens of books. I love painting crafts and doing art with Avind on the back porch. I love the sound of lawn mowers. I love bare feet and the smell of sunblock. The extra grit on the floor from coming s and goings. Ah. Summer. Blessed summer.
We are actually several weeks into summer vacation by now and I am always sad to see June end. June is the Friday of the summer. Today I had a plan. I was going to get my home in order. And then, I picked up a book. And the rest is history. The house is suffering the consequences. But, I really liked my book. And I really enjoyed cuddling next to Collin as we each read our own books, and next to Avind as he watched a movie down in the basement where it was cool. And you know what? The house can wait. And we can find clothes in the baskets just fine.
Happy Summering to you!
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
The Perfect Weekend
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Love you Grandpa
It was expected but it still is surreal and heart-wrenching. It is amazing the hole that seems to be created when someone dies. I know they live on, but it just feels empty and quiet suddenly. I mourn the loss of his knowledge and experiences. I wish I could have listened to more of his stories. You know what is the saddest realization? I didn't get to sit down and ask him about being a teacher and what it was like for him. I am sure I could have gained a lot from him.
I am happy that I was able to spend more time with him during my teenage years once we moved nearer one another. He liked to take me clothes shopping when I came to visit. I felt so special when he would tell me to choose what I wanted and he would buy it for me. And I will never forget how much he liked Blake from the first time he met him. He told me at my High School graduation that he approved of Blake because he could see the way Blake looked at me.
I think my favorite memory is when I visited right before Collin turned 2. He sat on Grandpa's lap and they both just giggled and laughed as they played the Talking Gina and Talking Tom. I have it on video and it warms my heart every time I watch it. Collin loves that Grandpa Bruce was a soldier. Grandpa even gave Collin his Army pin. Collin wears it every Veteran's Day. I had a chance to have some great long phone conversations with him in recent years. He was always so certain that Blake and I would make the right choices and be successful. I had the blessing of visiting with him in January this year. It was just me, mom and dad, grandma and grandpa. There was no rush. There was no one else to share him with. We just spent time together. We just talked. I held his hand. He told me how proud of me he was. It was just what you would want your last visit to be. I will miss you Grandpa. I love you.
The last 10 days have been challenging. And I am certainly earning my Mother's Days.
The Sunday before Thanksgiving Collin was coming down his bunk bed ladder to find me because he wasn't feeling well when he threw up, all over the floor (which I remind you is brand new carpet). He unfortunately had eaten blackberries for dinner which regurgitated as bright red and did a number on the carpet. Mom duty time. Blake got the kiddos settled while I began the clean up process. It took a long time. We stayed home from church and he threw up a few more times, but we were ready this time and clean up was minimal. We bought ourselves an early Christmas present though. A Rug Doctor carpet cleaner.
Monday and Tuesday I took sick days and stayed home with Collin. I had some major stomach cramping while the bug made its way through my system. One of the most challenging things about taking sick days as a teacher is that staying home seems like so much more work than just going to work. Creating sub plans is hard, especially several days in a row. And especially because I teach 2 alternative HS program classes. Those kids do not respond well to unexpected change. It is stressful to be gone.
Our good friends planning to visit for Thanksgiving understandably canceled and I would have done the same, but it was sorely disappointing. It was a good move on their part though. That very evening they canceled, Collin threw up again. I thought after 3 days we were in the clear so I had put him back in his top bunk. That was a very unfortunate decision. Especially for poor Avind who resides in the bottom bunk. Collin did not want to mess his bed up with vomit or get it on his Georgie (Curious George Doll), so he leaned over his bunk instead and let it fly to the bottom bunk, much to Avind's middle-of-the-night horror. Once again, I spent some late hours cleaning. I especially enjoyed spraying blankets off with the hose in 15 degrees.
Despite all that,we had a lovely week together! It was good, close family time. We took walks and played hide and seek, and cuddled up for family movie parties. We were mostly confined to home in fear of spreading our illness.
While home I put up outdoor Christmas lights and decorated. It is nice and cozy in our home. And I went out Christmas shopping on Saturday and helped haul a new trampoline for the boy's present (shhhhhhhhh! Don't tell them!) into our little car's backseat.
This was all apparently a little too much because on Monday morning while adjusting in my sleep, I heard the awful sound of my neck popping out of place. Ug. Not again. It is very debilitating. My head is so heavy! I was pretty miserable through the morning and was able to get in to the chiropractor, thank goodness. Would you believe that that very evening Blake strained his hamstring while walking on the treadmill. He said, "That is just pathetic. I hurt myself walking. It doesn't get any lazier than that. Well, actually I guess you got hurt sleeping so, you win that award." Nice.
And now, I am home again tomorrow. With a little poop machine. Poor kid. If he yells "poop!" I have about 3 seconds to get him on a toilet. But it is all worth it when these two little boys cuddle up to me and cling to me with all their love and energy.
I suppose sleep would be good. I finally got my sub plans typed up and have some teachers on hand to help out the sub if needed. I bet grandpa would understand.
Love you Grandpa!
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Life is But a Dream
I have to start my post tonight with my favorite moment of the day. Collin and Avind were cuddling in Avi’s bed as I finished reading to them and Avind hooked his arm around Collin’s neck to cuddle closer and said, “It’s fun having a brother.” 🤗
Gosh, I love it when they take that moment to love each other. Of course at times they fight and antagonize one another, but they are also very, very good to each other. What a treasure indeed to have my two boys.
I have been wanting to write and update about my kiddos and our family adventures, but it never seems like the right moment. I almost don’t feel like I can do it justice. We are in the throws of the business of life, and I don’t want to miss anything. But as I wait for the perfect time to sit down, time quickly disappears. I was thinking about the lyrics to “Row, row, row your boat” the other day. Have you ever actually listened to what you are singing? “Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.” It is pretty profound! Life is but a dream. And we just row our boat along, day in and day out. And time goes so swiftly. Like a dream.
I have to talk about Avind first. Because he is so delightfully 3 year old. I have decided that Avind is very much like Curious George. Don’t leave him alone for too long…that is for sure! A few of my favorites as of late:
Alright, it is older brother’s turn! By the way, did you know that Collin is just a fabulously, wonderful person? He is so…considerate. He once saw Blake give me the last bite of something and Blake explained, “It’s what you do when you love someone.” Ever since then, Collin has always offered Blake and I the last of anything he eats. That there just describes him perfectly. He is so perseptive. And responsive. Ah, makes my heart swell and my eyes water. He is a good boy. Gosh, I love these two.
Alright! So, there you have it. There is so much much much more to the story of our lives. But at least now we have preserved a snapshot. We have put away a few more treasure moments so that we might have something to remember about this dream.
Last thing to briefly remember: it has been a beautiful autumn. We found a place just out of my dreams last week. I was in heaven. I felt like running and dancing and skipping. In fact, I may have done all of those. I mentioned that I felt like a dog running free so Blake decided I reminded him of a golden retriever. They'd boys decided that they will call me golden mommy. Then Avind yelled, "mom! Pick me up then and run like a dog!" 😆 and so I did. And it was wonderful.
Until next time!
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Good bye Little Mountain Condo
In my mind, Bozeman was like any little 40,000 in population town. On the smaller side and with lower cost of living. I didn't worry too much that we hadn't found housing. And when I interviewed over the phone for the one teaching position that happened to be open at the high school, I exuded confidence. Of course they would hire me! There probably wasn't anyone else applying for the job in a town like this.
Little by little we started to realize what we were getting into. Bozeman, come to find out, is a coveted place, a gem of Montana, and a whole lot of people want to live here. Cost of living is really high, housing is a premium, and teaching jobs, especially at the high school, are nearly impossible to come by.
It was a whirlwind. Blake traveled ahead to Bozeman while the kiddos and I were cared for by our darling friends, the Sissons, in South Dakota. Every day I scoured Craigslist for a place to live. I sent Blake to several "Open houses." There was such demand for housing that a posting would go up and they would receive dozens of calls in just a few hours. People had to attend an open house with everyone and apply to live there. Nothing was coming together. I started to worry a little. Having cats really limited our already short list of options. I would see a posting in the morning, and it would be gone by the afternoon. It was going fast!
Meanwhile, Blake went to his first day of work and within a couple of hours was asked to interview for a full time job. And on the same day I was offered not the teaching job, but a long term sub for someone on maternity leave for 3 months. I was happy about it. I could help us get our feet under us, but I could resume stay-at-home mom status by Christmas.
Meanwhile, I was still frantically looking for a place to live. I finally turned off the "allows pets" filter and called every place available. I figured I would attempt to charm people into letting us bring our cats. I finally found a condo that was promising. Blake was going to meet them the next day. At the same time, I got a phone call from the high school asking me if I could indeed take the teaching position because the first person they accepted was unable to get a work visa in time. I can't believe this, now knowing what I know, but I turned down the position. Blake had full time work so I figured I wouldn't need to. They called me back the next day and asked me to please come and take the spot for at least until Christmas and then I could consider if I wanted to keep working. I accepted. And it is a good thing I did! Phew! That was a blessing they were persistent!
Blake sold the idea of us to the owners of the Condo (even with cats) and we finally had a place to live. But interestingly enough, the previous tenant wouldn't be leaving until the beginning of September. After two days of driving by myself with the kids across SD and MT, I made it. And we moved into the condo with a roommate. For 2 weeks he lived downstairs and we living upstairs and shared the kitchen. The kids shared our room and we all slept on the floor. It was a unique experience.
Due to the fact that the unit was still occupied, it never was deep cleaned before we came in. Once Ian (our roommate) moved out, I went to work not only organizing all our stuff (that came in just 2 days before school started), but cleaning as well. That was in addition to suddenly being a teaching after a 4 year hiatus. That, I assure you, was quite terrifying! I felt a little rusty. The first day of school I shook as I put together a cup tower for an activity. Who knew it would turn into long term teaching and that I would discover that I thrive on teaching and mothering.
It was also scary to put the kids in daycare. I never had to do that before. I was thrilled to find out there was a YMCA run day care in the high school. I could be near the kids! But they did not have room for Avind. I had a mentor teacher that pushed and we found a way to get him in. It was such a relief. There was space for Collin, but we had an angel of a person, Amanda Stewart, offer to watch for the first month so their son would have someone to play with since his older sister would now be in kindergarten.
It is amazing. I can't believe how things came together for us here in MT. It was so hard. But we did it. We made it work. Our little family came together and made a new life for us here. This little condo was certainly a blessing. It is a beautiful little home with a lot of charm and character. We have laughed and cried and prayed and survived in this home. Our boys have grown up so much in 2 years. I love our master bedroom "suite" on the 3rd floor and the windows that look out to the trees. I have loved walking to school with Avind in the stroller, especially on snowy days when driving looks awful. I love the skylights that bring in so much light. I loved watching it snow from our 3rd floor window fall on the huge sentinel spruce trees. I love hearing the sound of little feet climbing the stairs to find us. I will miss our climbing tree down the road and our walking loop covered in trees.
Little Mountain condo, you have been good to us. We will always remember you with fondness. You became more than a condo, you became a home.
Today we close on our new house. We will be moving to Belgrade. It is an interesting move. We will be in bozeman almost everyday so many things are staying the same. But we will have our own home. And our own yard! Yay! and we hope and pray, neighborhood kids for our kids to play with and grow up with. We are ready to be done neighboring next to collage kids.
I am so excited that I woke up with the sun and couldn't go back to sleep. It is going to be wonderful. But I will always have a piece of my heart here in our condo. Just like a piece of my heart that is in our Chesapeake "Cozy Backyard" home, our Williamsburg "Condo in the Treetops", our DC dorm room, and our Provo "Honeymoon Cottage".
Here we go! On to a new adventure