I forgot I had these on record. Just a snippet from our boys (who never stop talking)...

Joseph: "I can't wait until Emilie is bigger. Then we can play house. I'll be the Daddy. She can be the Mommy. And John Paul can be the baby... Or Mommy can have another baby and then John Paul can be the big brother!"

- - -

John Paul after Mommy picks him a bean in the garden: "Hey!!! I want to pick a bean. Put back on so I can pick it."

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John Paul, opening the back of his pants: "My bums are hot!"

- - - 

Mommy: "Say 'Arrr."

John Paul: "Nooo. I  can't say it because I'm too little. Joseph can say it because he's big."

A nice reasoned sentence to explain why he can't say R yet.

- - -

Mommy, reading the famous opening line from a Curious George book: "George was a good little monkey and always very..."

John Paul: "hungry!"

- - -

Mommy: "Do you have any kisses for me?"

John Paul: "Um... I have dem in my pocket."

- - - 

John Paul: "Sometimes... I love babies!"

And another time: "You're my best friend, Emilie!"

- - -

Joseph: "Is your water bottle full John Paul?

John Paul: It don't have some lots in it!"

- - -

John Paul randomly picks up a broken lego man, shows me, and says: "God will fix this guy."

Even Poets Need Grace Too

Don't tell me what the poets are doing
Those Himalayas of the mind
Don't tell me what the poet's been doing
In the long grasses over time

 
An emotional love fest on CBC. The Tragically Hip played most likely their last concert on Saturday night in their home town of Kingston, Ontario. The CBC broadcast it live, and also set up several viewing areas (i.e. parties) across the country. The concert was hyped like no other, especially during their Olympic coverage. Why not? When an average audience of 3 million Canadians are tuning in, you may as well take advantage of it. And thus the concert. A great moment for Canada. Right?

Hip front man Gord Downie of course has terminal brain cancer. Downie is a Canadian rock music icon. Who doesn't love Bobcaygeon, Gift Shop, Nautical Disaster, and of course, Poets? Yet Downie has a persona that transcends his music. I remember watching him team up with Dallas Green of City and Colour during the 2009 Juno awards. Downie just stood there and sang his part of the song. He didn't move. He didn't show much emotion. He just stared ahead with steely eyes... and stole the show. His mere presence, teamed with his trademark voice, was beyond impressive. I had to give him great respect for that.


A 52 year old rocker with brain cancer, quite frankly, can no longer perform well. What I saw of Saturday's concert was evidence of that. The body, and voice, were done. The harder he tried, the less his body responded. Yet Downie performed for a national audience, nonetheless. That showed, pardon the pun, courage. Again, I have to give him great respect for that. Yet not all courage comes at a good time. The concert was not all about the music. 30 minutes before the show the CBC started showing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Tragically Hip T-shirt and all, walking to the concert amid throngs of enthusiastic admirers. During the concert Downie spoke up in typical celebrity-liberal fashion, calling on action for social change, especially indigenous people. I'm sure the irony of the poet, Downie, telling us what we should be doing was not lost on him. Then he spoke on how Trudeau was the man for the job. CBC glowed. CBC ran with the story. CBC tied the story in with the Olympics. Everything it means to be Canadian, in the eyes of the CBC, was present. It was a great day for the CBC. For Canada. Courage. Olympics. Trudeau. Emotion. The Hip. Liberalism.


There is an untold tale, however. A sad and tragically unhip story. That is, a man is dying of cancer. Despite a courageous, though liberal, defiance, this man truly is entering a period of desolation. We all die. Despite the best attempts at managing life by the CBC, Trudeau, Olympiad, and even Gord Downie, the reality of death cannot be avoided. Our best face cannot substitute for facing our own mortality. Many have glowed at how Downie has stared straight ahead at death with his steely eyes, as though death were just the next ballad to sing. But death will not succumb to our own melody. It cannot be conquered, except through the One alone who conquered it.

Going back to the Olympics, if there's one thing we've learned as Catholics it's that even celebrities need our prayers. Not everything is awesome. I speak of Michael Phelps, the man who has more gold medals than most nations, yet contemplated suicide. Until he met Christ. Olympic bravado cannot last. A gold medal is but a small consolation when coinciding with the Christ-less life. A final concert is but a small defiance when facing one's final phase of life. Even Gord Downie needs our prayers.

During the concert Downie sang Grace Too. A deliberately emotional song which, perhaps in a deliberately dramatic fashion ended up in tears for Downie. Scroll down this page if you wish to see it. It was not some awesome moment, as many are describing it. A national audience will not be with Downie on his death bed. Nor Trudeau, nor the CBC. Just him alone meeting our Lord. As will happen with all of us. Irony again: we need grace too. The grace of final persevering. And so as we say goodbye to the band The Tragically Hip, and Downie moves to a new stage in his life. we pray for him, and all those preparing for death. It is never too late while we still breath. There is no tragically lived life Christ cannot overcome.

One last irony, or rather paradox I should say: for Christians, death is life.

Millette Mini Vacation: Day 3

Our last day of our mini vacation.

The boys up early. We had another nice breakfast at the hotel continental breakfast (they have eggs/sausage there as well).

Another swim. In typical fashion, John Paul loved the crazy fast water slide while Joseph didn't want to go on it. Ok, this picture is actually from the day before. Same thing.

After a quick stint of shopping for Mommy, who apparently was down to her last shirt or something, we moved on to the main attraction: a Roughrider practice!

Mr. Rod Pedersen, the voice of the Riders, and writer of Canada's number one sports blog, rodpedersen.com. His colour man, Carm Carteri, was right behind us as we entered the stadium.

 Settling in. The guy behind us apparently is a CFL game official from Calgary (though his boys were decked out in Rider gear). I guess they hang out at CFL stadiums a lot.

 The security guard, who was super nice, let the boys come down on the field for a picture!

 The Riders take to the field.

 Wardrobe malfunction for Graig Newman.

The coaches must've messed up, because all of them dropped down at one point to do pushups, to the delight of the players.

 The boys.

Miss Emilie Marie in her Rider dress.

Coach Chris Jones was very vocal and watched everything like a hawk. I just loved his Tennessee accent. Note he always wears back. It was stinkin hot there. Nearly 30 degrees with no shade or breeze. Several people in the crowd were wearing black, in support of Jones. If you haven't been following it, the Riders have received several fines from the league lately which, whether deserved or not, is generally acknowledged that other teams are doing the same thing (but getting away with it).

 Darian Durant down there. We met a couple of older women there later. They were dressed from head to toe in Rider gear. They were from London, Ontario, and came to Regina to watch the last game and this practice. They were literally shaking with excitement, and talking a thousand words a minute. Apparently as Durant was leaving they called out to him and told them they came thousands of miles to see the Riders. Durant had them come down on the field for pictures and autographs. As I said, these older ladies were just trembling with excitement.

 Hot stuff...

The end of official practice. But many players hung around longer to work on stuff. All I can say is that when Jones says something, the players hustle to his attention. He is the chief in charge. But the players seemed to have lots of fun out there.

 Things are winding down.

Near the end Jeff Knox Jr., our top defensive player, come over and chatted with Joseph. He asked Joseph his name, age, and stuff like that. Joseph was quite speechless. For being a crushing defender, Knox is very soft spoken and gentle. I hear he is a devout Christian (as are many southern football players). Later Knox came over again to say hi to Joseph. That's what makes the Riders so great. Knox just blew Joseph away. Afterwards we took the boys to the gift shop and bought them some hats. I don't know if Joseph has taken his off yet. He is so thrilled with the Riders! He was also given some Rider tattoos, which he promptly put on when he got home. As I write this he is playing "pretend Rider game" with John Paul.

 Farewell to the grand old lady.

And hello to the new. It looks absolutely stunning as you drive by. It makes you gasp. It'll be great there.

 Back home safe and sound. Joseph getting his bedtime snack. Rider stuff and all.

Final Thoughts:

The kids had their ups and downs. As a parent there is never a vacation from kids. It's always tiresome work looking after them. But all in all they were very good. It was such a nice break to get away and do some fun things. Not too much. Not too little. I was very impressed with how friendly people in Regina are. Everywhere we went there were the nicest people, and often giving us little perks such as cookies, trips on Mosaic field, and little tattoos. I know not every time you go out with little kids do you get favourable reactions from people, but we were blessed this trip. It was a great mini-vacation. I can't wait for next year.

Millette Mini-Vacation: Day 2 (Assumption)

Day two begins. Here our princess has a quick morning nap. Because getting dressed is so tiring.

What. A. View. The Days Inn is great. It's not exactly downtown which is to our advantage because the pool wasn't crazy busy. But the view is lacking.

 Yes we snuck in a trip to Costco. We hadn't been in like seven months. What a stupid place. People were rushing to the store before it even opened. You never know when you need a 48 pack of AA batteries, after all We got what we needed. We left.

 Picnic time, Chicken and feta cheese wraps. Grapes. Juice. Fermented grapes would have been better.

 Then to the RCMP heritage museum! A few pictures...

 We look good.

 Constable Joseph.

 Chief John Paul.

 Catching the bad guy.

 Mommy on the musical ride simulator. That's not how you ride a horse.

 John Paul taking a little cruise.

 A tour of the grounds. Here is the church. The oldest building in Regina.

 John Paul loves church.

It was an Anglican church. But now it is used for all kind of services.

 Joseph and I running for our life! But the Mounties always get their man.
 

 Our tour bus.

You can't see it here, but Joseph is holding John Paul's hand. Joseph ALWAYS holds his hand. He is a very protective older brother. I think it's a combination of protecting John Paul from his recklessness, and comforting himself from his fear of things.

This time a family picture.

 Back to the hotel for a swim.

 Boston Pizza for supper! Here is the MVB, Most Valuable Burger.

The waitress there just loved the kids. She wanted to take them with her, but Joseph wouldn't allow it.

We couldn't find a Mass by searching online, but we drove around earlier in the day and happened to see that St. Mary's church had a 7pm Mass for the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary. Here the boys are running off their supper (and dessert!)

Mommy looks on. Not the nicest church, but, you know, Spirit of Vatican II and man fully alive is the glory of God and such.
 

 The homily began with the priest saying, since it was a special day of Our Lady's, he was going to preach a long homily. Just what every family with little kids wants to hear after a long day. The boys hung on all right.

We then went back to the hotel for another quick swim, some chips and grapes, and one of us might've even partaken in a smuggled beer, to celebrate the Solemnity.

Millette Mini-Vacation: Day 1

Our mini-vacation is over :(

Back to every day life. I like to record these trips on our blog for our own journal purposes. Feel free to read along if you wish.

We were up very early to make the trip to the Latin Mass in Saskatoon. Fr. Geoff Young said Mass in the Extraordinary Form. It was his fourth time. Afterwards we went down to the basement to chat with friends. We chatted with Fr. Geoff for a while. He left the next morning for Rome where he will be studying liturgy (and a few languages) for three years. We were struck by how joyful he was. He talked with great excitement about saying the Tridentine Mass. I hear that a lot from priests, how saying the Latin Mass changes how they view the priesthood and Mass. It's no longer a showtime, but rather the priest becomes a slave to the Mass (in a good way).

 Afterwards we went to my sister's house for a yummy brunch, and then they treated us to a trip to the Saskatoon zoo!

Believe it or not, this was my first time touching a snake. In typical fashion, John Paul was quick to come touch as well, while Joseph refused.

 Some buffalo hanging out. One of their elder buffalo died recently. I secretly wondered if it's body was being used to feed the other animals there, such as the wolves. Waste not, want not.

 We got really close to the porcupine.

 
The kids loved running through a tunnel there.

  And so did I.

 Afterwards we made the drive on to Regina. Once there I picked up some food and we watched the 100m final in our room while eating. Then it was time for a quick swim and bedtime. Emilie was fussy and cried somewhat that night, but it was the only time she was at all difficult.


 Day 2 highlights coming...