Christmas Fun

It's Wednesday today and it feels like a bit of a whirlwind so far! I spent a few hours today and yesterday delivering Christmas cheer to families in our ward - part of my new responsibilities as Relief Society President. 

On Monday, Alice and Fiona decided to have twin day.

And Kate and I went to deliver a present to her friend Sophia. Sophia used to live around the corner, and was a really close friend of Kate's last year. They aren't in the same class or cohort so they hardly ever see each other this year. They do still chat online so that's something. Hopefully her family will be able to move back to the area soon.

On Tuesday the girls put together the kits we bought at Michaels. They were a bit intense and took way longer than the package said they would. I'm not sure that Kate would say that the kit was worth it. We joked (sort of joked...) that it took two and a half hours and her soul. She might be able to laugh about it now?

I only ever got a picture of Alice's. I should go take pictures of the other ones!

Alice was playing with her plasticine tonight and asked me what she should make. I asked for a nativity and she made me the cutest little nativity!

We played Cards Against Humanity - Family Edition tonight. This was my favourite.

Wednesday (today) Ken took the day off and we went to see Polar Lights. One of the parking garages at the airport was converted into a light show. You stay in your car and drive through. It was pretty. It was about 20-25 minutes to drive through the lights.

The drive back and forth was longer than the show, but I think it was still worth it! The lights were really cool and the girls got a kick out of it. We chatted with Santa and the Grinch. It's too bad I didn't take a pic of the Grinch, or of Kate squishing Alice to yell out the window "You're my hero!"

I wanted more Christmas lights, so later on after dinner we drove downtown to see the lights at Nathan Phillip's Square, and to see the Christmas windows at the Bay. We don't make it downtown every year but it always makes me so happy when we do make it there! I loved going to see the windows as a kid.

This pic is of Santa's list - I think the computer is checking it twice. I can't remember who noticed it first, but Ruthie and Ted - those names together on the list - we all liked that a lot!

Alice and Fiona were really excited by the Nativity in front of Old City Hall.

A Covid Wedding

Mom and CJ got married today. They were married at the Richmond Hill Chapel by Bishop Rod Dyquiangco. According to Covid rules we could have ten people at the wedding - Mom and CJ, Andrew, Ken, Wendy, Kate, Alice, Fiona, Rod, and CJ's friend Han. 

The wedding ceremony was broadcast on zoom. There were a lot of people on the zoom call. Jon and Suzanne were on the zoom call.

Mom and CJ looked really happy. Kate and Alice and Fiona wore flower crowns. Kate and Alice walked in before Mom as I played Love At Home on the piano, Fiona sat beside me at the piano.

Han and I signed the marriage certificate as witnesses.

A Pandemic Romance

Goodness. Where to begin. At the beginning of course.

March - Mom signed up for Match.com, Mom met CJ. Mom started talking to CJ every single day.

April - right before or after Mom's birthday she told me that she had met a new friend online. Changjung Kwon - CJ for short. She was hoping to meet him soon. (Sting #1 - she wouldn't meet up with us but she was excited to meet her new friend aka complete stranger met on the internet.)

April - It seemed CJ was married. Then Mom emailed and said, no he isn't married. He's divorced, it was a bad marriage, he doesn't want to marry again.

April - Mom and CJ are talking every day. Meeting up frequently and going for walks by the lake. Mom sends me an email with pics of her "Prince Charming".

April - the story is muddy. He's divorced, he doesn't know where his ex-wife is, hasn't talked to her for a long time. Then he isn't divorced. He doesn't want to divorce. Divorce is shameful in Korea - where his wife and children live. 

April - a lot of back and forth mostly about you can't have a relationship with a married man and what are you doing mom, and mom saying it's fine, it's fine.

May - CJ goes to Korea to seek a divorce from his wife. He stays in quarantine for two weeks when he first arrives. Mom and CJ talk through Facebook messenger every day. CJ wakes up at 3 a.m. to talk to Mom. CJ is supposed to be gone for three months. Mom says that his wife has agreed to get divorced.

May/June - CJ's wife won't agree to get a divorce. CJ is still a married man. I feel like it is time for Mom to cut her losses. This isn't going anywhere, but Mom will not abandon her friend. 

June - Mom comes to visit for Fiona's birthday. It's the first time she's come in the house in two months. She's sad, she's lonely, I tell her she needs to spend more time with her grandchildren. She agrees. 

July - CJ comes back from Korea on July 13th - has to quarantine for 14 days. He comes home without a divorce. He plans to seek a divorce in Toronto. I am baffled by the whole thing.

July - we see Mom. The girls have an overnight. Mom is still talking to CJ, her friend, saying that if he gets a divorce she wants to get to know him better.

August - End of August CJ flies back to Korea. This time his wife has agreed to a divorce. He plans to stay for three months. He moves stuff into my Mom's place before he leaves. They plan to get married when he comes back with his divorce finalized.

September - Mom misses CJ lots. She does start to look into a prenuptial agreement. I message CJ on messenger on Facebook. He seems nice in his messages.

October - Trunk or Treat at our ward chapel we meet CJ. His divorce is almost final in Korea. The paperwork needs to be filed in Canada. He takes lots of pics with his selfie stick.

November - Paperwork is filed in Canada. We have a Google Meet as a family. 

December 19 - Mom and CJ get married

I'm still not exactly sure what to think about the whole thing. There are more details, more hurts and stings, and miss-communications and not communications. I've pondered quite a lot and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to feel. I'm glad that my Mom isn't sad. But that's about it. I'm not excited about this new member of our family. I'm not. It's made me miss my Dad. (I should do art therapy like Alice) Mom has told me that when my Grandma (my Dad's Mom) eloped and got remarried after Dad's Dad died, her kids were not happy about it. I know it's normal to feel how I feel, I just don't like it. 

I'll probably need to force myself to get over it at some point. I did fast at the beginning of December for peace, and that was good. I did feel peace. I should do that again. Or something. Eventually.

The Book of Mormon

This year we studied the Book of Mormon in the Come Follow Me manual at church and at home. The grown-ups and the primary children's lessons were all based on the teachings and readings from the Book of Mormon. We decided that we wanted to read the Book of Mormon cover to cover as a family this year. If we followed the readings as outlined in the manual we would finish this year. 

Tonight we read the last 19 verses in Moroni chapter 10. We all took a turn and read a few verses. I'm so grateful for this experience. There were many times that the readings were long and difficult to understand. There were many times the children complained bitterly. But tonight as we finished reading, the girls all felt proud of our accomplishment. We set a goal and we reached it. It felt really good.

I'm grateful for the Book of Mormon, and I hope as the girls grow older they will continue to read it, and learn about their Savior Jesus Christ, and that they will ultimately want to be more like Him.

Fiona's Half-Birthday

 I remember reading somewhere once that someone's Mom found any excuse to celebrate. I don't think that's exactly me, but I love a silly excuse to celebrate life with my kids!

It was Fiona's half birthday today, and her awesome Daddy made cake mix cupcakes with her, and he even made pink buttercream icing. Fiona has matured so much in the last six months. Her reading continues to improve. She loves her sisters fiercely. She loves to play. She loves to help. We love our seven and a half year old Fiona!