Spencer's first lawn

Saturday, July 14, 2007 begun as a gray, cloudy, but pleasant day. Unlike most Saturday's since early May, I did not have a long list of outdoor projects to finish (like the shed which consumed May, and painting, lawn repair, etc during June). However, I still hav ethe weekly lawn cutting to do! But this Saturday was different. Sandra had to head out to get Ryan a haircut before our Chicago trip. Usually Spencer would tag along on such errands if I was working around the house. However, it said to Samdra, "I want to stay and help Dad work outside". I looked at Spence and said. "Are you sure of that, or are you just wanting to stay home to play on the computer ?". He assured me he was staying to help, and so I agreed.

I had a couple of things to do inside first, so I asked Spencer if he wanted to get started on the lawn (using our new push mower that I had purchased about a month back). He did. And lo and behold, about 15 minutes later I looked outside and about a 1/3 of the lawn was cut). I mentioned to him how you need to overlap each cut, so he went back a re-did the first few rows and over a period of about 30-45 minutes, with no help from me since I was inside, he producly completed cutting his first lawn - and what a great job he did.
That day I also showed him how to use clppers, and he trimmed a good part of the lawn by the driveway next to Doug and Dots place. Truly, Spencer is growing up.

That same morning, before I cut the lawn, I had been out to Longo's to grab some odds and ends. While I was there I saw a mother and her young teenage son who was obviously mentally handicapped. He was helping his mom shop and pack up he groceries. I was moved to tears there in the shopping lineup as I heard him speak to his mom in the tone and language of a child a fraction of his age. I was moved by the sweetness of how he spoke to her as if he were a 4 of 5 year old child - guileless, simple and sweet. I was also saddened and moved with compassion over seeing a tall, slender teenage body, ready to take on life, but with a mind that is not. I felt for his Mother and the sadness she must feel, which she seemed to wear on her face with a sort of mild disdain. I wanted to hug that boy and let him know that God loves him. I was moved and reminded that very little matters in this life, but showing the love of God and the compassion of Christ to the weakest - to those who cannot reciprocate or appreciate what is being done for them. That is what I saw that Mother doing by caring for he son - something I suspect she will be doing until she dies.

As they left the mall parking lot, I pulled out in my car behind them and drove behind them praying for that boy, who I do not know, that he would find the love of God and that our Lord would help his mother find joy in the calling he has for her. Our society knows little of sacrifice and of putting others first. She was living that, whether she wanted to or not. I hoped she would find the joy in it.

Ryan and my trip to Ottawa

 

I left Monday April 9 for business in Ottawa planned for the 10th.  It was a short trip, and I drove to Ottawa Monday afternoon, and back to Toronto Tuesday afternoon.

On my way home I called and Ryan said, "Daddy, I have something for you."  When I arrived home he lead me by the hand upstairs into our bedroom.  He had made a gift basket with a number of "love notes" for me...it was his way of expressing how he felt.  What a job, and how great it made me feel.

Here is a picture....

Ryan, the giftgiver

Yesterday (February 22, 2007) Ryan starting wrapping up some of his toys and decorations in any paper he could find and giving them as gifts to Sandra and I. He gave Sandra 6 of these self-wrapped gift items, and then 2 for me. Sometime today he also wrapped two more gifts for me and left them and a love note by my bed under the sidelight. It was touching to Sandra and I, and showed what a generous heart little Ryan has.

We appreciated this act of love so much.

Hockey Night in Brampton, in our basement

Tonight was the night. Ryan was fueled with juice(Sunny D) and Spencer was low in energy, after a game at school that sapped 2 goals from his "energy supply". We have been playing this tournament since just before Christmas - and it was a best of 5. Until tonight Ryan/Daddy's team had won 2, and Spencer had won 2. Tonight, the RD team won 20-19 - wow - so close !

Soon we will start another season - and another best of 5 ! What great fun!

Cold in Toronto

Well, until about a week or so ago, it seemed like Winter has passed us by. When we came back from Florida in early January, there was no snow, and it was 11 degree Celsius.

Today, with a wind chill around -30, I think winter is here.

On Sunday morning I am off to Orlando for a Motorola Enterprise Mobility sales conference...perhaps I can thaw out while there.

Ryan - moving back after 2 years.

 

As of Saturday night, January 13th, 2006 Ryan officially moved back into his own room.  From what Sandra and I recall, he has been in Spencer's room for about 2 years, and finally decide it was time to get back to his own room.  I seem to recall that he moved his bed out of his room since he was scared of the dark, and having his bed in Spencer's room gave him some comfort that he was not alone. 

 

Many great memories were made by the two boys sharing this same physical space for so long.  I am sure it helped them bond even closer as brothers.  But as Ryan approaches six, he is truly growing up in so many ways...and  feels a confidence and need to move out.

 

The end of an era?  But the beginning of a new one.

Florida 2006/2007

 

This year Sandra and I were glad to be able to finally take Mom, and and Lynn to Florida.. We left Brampton on Wednesday, December 27 and stayed in Beckley, WV the evening of the 27th. We arrived in Hilton Head the afternoon of the 28th, after some considerable delays coming along the 26 onto the I95.

We spent two nights at the Hilton Hilton Head resort..and enjoyed it. The weather was a bit cool the first full day we were there (about 18 C), but still nice. We played ping pong the first morning at the resort, the headed out to explore Hilton Head. We ended up playing mini-golf at a "Pirate Theme" mini-golf park - and Ryan and Spencer played with Lynn. The boys did fabulously.

After Hilton Head, we left to head south to St . Augustine to show Mom and Dad this charming little town, with an abundance of history going back to the 16th century. We arrived there on Saturday, December 30 by the early afternoon. We spent the afternoon exploring the downtown, then headed to the beach at St Augustine to enjoy the fabulous weather. I took lots of pictures.

On Sunday morning, December 31 I was fortunate to go for a nice run along the beach. I ran about 3k each way and it was a beatuiful morning - with sun and perfect weather. After the run I joined Sandra, The Boys, Lynn and my parents who were playing and hanging out on the beach. One of my best memories from this trip was how Ryan and I spend about 1/2 hour building a "lake" and "rivers" on the beach, where the tide would wash up and water would flow into our 2/3 lakes. I had a great time with Ryan, and he seemed to really enjoy it.

We left St. Augustine around 11am on the 31st and drove down to Daytona Beach where we drove out onto the beach for a bit....it was pretty busy. We left there and headed to Orlando where we checked into the Floriday Resort to a 3 bedroom luxury unit where we spent New Years Eve. The Boys and Lynn spend ages in the pool that afternoon, then we went back to the room where Mom cooked up some great spaghetti. We put the boys to bed around 9 and stayed up until 10.30 or so watching the "Dick Clarks" New Year's Eve event.

On January 1 we checked out of the Floriday and headed to the Florida Mall. This day was the first cloudy day, and it threatened rain and stayed cloudy all day. By about noon we drove back to Daytona Beach and then watched the greyhound races for an hour or so. We then headed back to St Augustine for 2 more nights - January 1 and January 2. When we arrived in St. Augustine that night it rained. I went out to McDonald's to get supper and we enjoyed it in our rooms. I then headed out again to the pharmacy to grab some cough medicine since I had develped a dry cough about the same day we left for Florida.

We left Florida on Wednesday, January 3 and started the 2,000km trek back to Toronto. We stayed the first night in Charlotte, and the made it to Erie the second night. We arrived home Friday around 12.30pm.

Another year down, and another great set of memories made.