Sunday, July 24, 2016

Catch 'em.

So.

This happened.










































And despite a few efforts to Celebrate Appropriately With Everyone, I couldn't get my family together. (We were together in May. Fingers crossed I can make it happen again in August. I'm averaging one dinner with all my kids every 2 months. Or 6 times a year. And WE ALL LIVE IN THE SAME TIME ZONE.)

In talking with some of my younger, recently married friends, six times a year is about how often they'd want to see their mothers-in-law, so I guess I'm well on my way to being Mother/Mother In Law of the year ... :)

ANYWAY, seeing I couldn't get us all together, I ended up just taking Clint out by myself. And whilst we waited for our meal, I asked him about Pokemon Go. I got a private lesson:


















































































His enthusiasm was infectious.
And based on the conversation that was taking place on our family Facebook message thread, all the kids + Danica were playing. So I asked how I could get it, and was told it wasn't available for Canadian moms on iPhones yet. He'd let me know when.

I offered to give him a drive back to his office, but he said he'd walk. He had Pokemon to catch.

(I hope, despite the detour into Nintendo territory, I was able to adequately express my pride in his accomplishments. Sometimes I suck at Celebrating The Thing because I'm just so happy to be In Their Presence.)

ANYWAY.

Things and stuff and life and work and events happened, and last weekend I escaped to the lake to rest my brain by talking to God for abit. A co-worker from France has family and friends who live in Nice and were on the boulevard watching the fireworks the night the truck plowed through the crowds. And on the same night, someone I care about was in Turkey when the military coup was taking place. These events became personal from my little safe haven at the lake. Plus there were cancer diagnosis's, the death of a co-worker from my Bevo days, the pain of those who are struggling with addictions, friends who need wisdom and strength as they care for parents, folks who need satisfying employment, and friends who simply need some good news.

So last Saturday I listened to sermons online and prayed my guts out.

And then 24 hours later I got the message from Clint:





































And just like that, I became a trainer whose job it is to catch Pokemon.
The first one appeared seconds later; right in the backyard at the lake:








































I pushed the red and white ball towards him and SUCCESS - I caught 'im.
And with that, I was hooked.

It really doesn't take much.

Also? While at the lake?
I planned my next colouring page.
YES I PLAN THESE THINGS.










































And I realized I need to get some of those USB plugs, because regular outlets don't cut it anymore.










































I finished reading this:









































Which was all about the show that broke the barriers re: women on TV. Apparently. (Well until Maude came along. THAT was groundbreaking.)
























I remember this show from my childhood and was intrigued by all the background info on both the actors and the writers. And what really happens on the set and behind the scenes.

My summer read at the lake is going to be this one;










































And this?
Is my summer theme:






























Woman? Is anything too hard for the Lord?


Indeed.



.....




A few hours later I was back in Surrey.

My message to Clint:







































What followed was another lesson in Pokemon catching.
Ending with:




































...

And then this week was filled with long walks with my phone (accompanied by any friends who are also trainers. Surprisingly not everyone is on board with this, Haha. Go figure.) Everywhere I went there were folks on their phones, laughing and playing Pokemon. The world is a kinder, gentler place because of Pokemon Go.
And because of Jesus.

Fraser Heights is boring as far as catching goes. Vancouver's sea walls and New West's parks and waterfront are fun and interesting and also great locations for my other favorite past time; taking pics. Most of those pics are getting posted to Instagram these days. Check here: https://www.instagram.com/pixnprose (Know what I like about instagram? The immediate responses. I am not one who likes attention for myself, but I love it when a scene I've been lucky enough to capture and personally love, gets 50 likes. (This week's Vancouver pics garnered 85 likes. For me, that is a whole lot of affirmation about my ability to take a decent pic.) (Mostly from strangers, because, sigh, so few of my friends are on social media.)




That's been my week.
Back to posting pics re: Vietnam trip.
Starting tomorrow...


Three things I'm thankful for:

1. The amazing way God answered some desperate prayers last weekend.
2. This place, which reminds me of my dad.
3. Strawberries and raspberries and DQ blizzards and sunshine and full moons and long walks and DM's and movie nights and good books and a job and summer and decks and leftover meals and family chats online and sons who graduate and sons who are clean and sons who are getting married and the smell of cut grass and safe neighbourhoods to walk in at 11 pm, and a God who loves my people even more than I do.


Shalom, friends.
There is nothing too hard for him.
xo

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