Oh boy.

Has it really been THAT long since I posted something????

I don't even know where the time has gone. But I DO know that next week, I am catching up!

I actually have lots of fun things to share, and lots of updates to post.

Next week, my time is back to (mostly) my own and I will be here! :)

My BIG day!

If you visit my blog on any kind of a regular basis, you will have noticed that I have not been posting much. 

I do have some pretty good reasons, though- the new baby in our family and the trips involved with that, spring- and the work that our lawns and gardens demand, kids (need I say more?), a daughter having oral surgery, and of course the event I have been working towards and preparing for for months:

I became an American citizen yesterday!!!

I am very fortunate that being married to an American meant that my wait was shorter than some others have to go through.

Still, we have been at this since January 2007- four and half years! I have been fingerprinted and photographed (passport-style) more often in that time, than most people are in their entire lifetimes!

Mountains of paperwork, many interviews, lawyer's meetings, and endless submitting documents- it's all done!

And being in the Denver area means that everything is done the same day- I had my test and interview yesterday morning and was sworn in after lunch!

This is a very happy event for my me and my DH- who can now stop worrying that I will be deported. 

What he thought I might be deported FOR- well, that's never actually been clear...

I learned a lesson a long time ago from my Grama- and I was thinking of her too, yesterday when I took my Oath of Allegiance to my newly adopted country.

My grandparents emigrated to Canada from Holland in 1952. They had six sons and Europe was still war-torn and struggling to get back on it's feet. They wanted their sons to have opportunities and lives that they knew wouldn't be possible in their home country.

They left all of their family behind, they were not able to speak English, and literally had almost nothing when they arrived in Ontario.

What they did have was love, a desire for a better life, and a determination to learn what it meant to be a Canadian.

Grama said they believed right down to their soul that choosing a different country to live in meant you had to truly love your new country and make it your own- that the "old country" ways were meant for the old country.

Both of my grandparents learned read, write, and speak English in a relatively short time, and they didn't spend any time sitting around saying "things aren't done this way in Holland...".  They became Canadians in every sense of the word.

They were required to renounce their Dutch citizenship to become Canadians and they did. I bet it wasn't easy, but they wanted to be true Canadians and were willing to do whatever it took.

I am fortunate in that I am able to retain both Canadian and US citizenship. On the way to my test and interview yesterday morning, I thought about what I would say if I was asked to give up my Canadian citizenship.

I moved here for a better life- a life filled with love and joy and peace and contentment, shared with the man I want to be with for the rest of our lives.

I have always been proud to be a Canadian girl, and that won't ever change. But I am thrilled to be an American now, to be able to fully enjoy- and give back- to a country has been lovely and welcoming to me since I crossed the border!

Day Without Hate

It bears repeating- we need less hate and violence and much more love in our world.

Today is the Day Without Hate here in Littleton, Colorado. The kids are all wearing white t-shirts to show solidarity and remembrance for the victims of school shootings. This is a county-wide project now, started a few years back by Standley Lake HS in Westminster, CO. It was then adopted by Columbine HS and the rest of the county.

Here are some past photos, to show you an example of what the high school looks like leading up to today. I am hoping to have a chance to get up to the high school today to take some photos of this year's event.

You can- and should- click on any photo to see it larger- then you can read what it says. This first one is a list of school shootings. There are so many... it just makes me cry.

But the kids and this whole community- and communities across this country and Canada- are all working at stopping this madness. Raising awareness, focusing on being a little kinder to each other- just small changes in everyone's attitude and behaviour can make a huge difference.

So today, why don't we all share a smile, do a random act of kindness for someone, be extra nice to someone who seems to need it.

And while we're at it, why don't we keep this attitude going not only today, but every day.

Let's make EVERY day, a Day Without Hate!

She's here!!!

Look who's here!

Aria (Ar'-ree-ah) was born this past Wednesday morning (April 13) at 10:01, weighed in at 5 lbs 4 oz and is just the sweetest little bundle of joy! She has been officially voted the cutest member of our family!

She and mommy are doing just great. We are all very excited to go and meet her as soon as she and mommy have a little time to rest and gear up for company.

Here she is, just a few hours old. Isn't she a sweetie?

All of a sudden...

Just a little over a week ago, I was looking at snow and ice on the newly formed blossoms of my plum tree and my tulips out front.

I was worried that the cold and ice might harm or kill them- but it seems that the moisture has just been enough for things to start bursting forth in my gardens and yard!

I have an herb garden out back and already have usable chives and thyme. Parsley is poking up through the ground, as is another herb I planted and can't identify... I need to check my chart from last year! lol

My plum tree is full of blossoms and the bees have been quite busy there. It always makes me laugh a little that the full blossoms are out before you can really see the buds of the leaves- that seems backwards to me! It kind of looks like little tufts of snow on an otherwise bare tree.

Out front, some tulips are blooming and some of the rose bushes are greening up and budding leaves.

Things I didn't plant, like grape hyacinths and daffodils are out too, though the daffodils are pretty nearly finished.

I recognize the iris leaves and the thick stalks of peonies. And daisies, I believe, but I will have to see what blooms there to see if I am right or not! lol

Unfortunately, with this nice warm, spring weather also come the snakes. I am sure it won't be long before I see the little writhing mass in my front garden, and I have to say, I am dreading it.

My garden plans for this year are less than in previous years, as I have done plenty of work with little payoff and decided I need to be realistic for the time being. My soil needs a lot more amending before it will support a garden that sustains us throughout the summer.

Right behind the garage, I will again plant lettuce, spinach, and peas- they grow well there and require very little from me.

In the small raised bed, I will again plant my herbs, moving things around a little.

In the small fenced area, I will plant some tomatoes and beans, both of those do well here. Maybe some cucumbers, I am not sure. I do LOVE cucumbers and could eat many of them a day!

I will not be planting much- or anything in the large garden area that I have previously used. The soil is nowhere near soft enough for root vegetables, and other things I have tried just didn't grow well. I may put some melons or squash out there though, there is lots of room for them to grow. I will think about that.

It's much too windy to plant today, but the next nice morning we have will find me out there in my garden hat and boots, trowel and seeds in hand, getting ready to enjoy a new season of fresh food!