December 2010

I recently logged on to Facebook at the beginning of November, only to be notified that a few of my friends had completed their Christmas shopping, it was wrapped and decorations were up. Well good for you I thought to myself, got a little peeved and deleted them from my friends list. Ahh, that felt better.
Now anyone who knows me is probably thinking, Pot, meet the Kettle. I know what you are thinking, aren’t you a planning freak? My Christmas planning usually starts in early summer with hopes of culminating to a finish by the first of December but it never ever happens. This is not done for bragging or organizational bliss, but honestly for self preservation. Our life never slows down… and something always comes up… even for a planning freak.
A festive day in the life of a planning freak
A day after arriving home late from cutting down our tree, we got up early on Sunday morning to commence the day’s activities. Lionel Ritchie’s lyrics have never really resonated with me, well, Dancing on the ceiling YES, Easy like Sunday Morning NO. It’s a mad house. Really Lionel, what is this existence of relaxation on Sunday Morning. I have yet to experience this. If he was my friend on facebook, I’d delete him too. Mercy Sakes. Anyway I have several responsibilities Sunday morning at church so we got up, fed the kids and I ventured out with the boy A quick trip to the church to go over videos and get the announcements ready and then we were off again. We had a birthday party after church and being a bit of a planning freak, I had bought a present a month prior to the party. I didn’t plan however, to forget the Star Wars Mask at my office, so off we zipped, before hockey practice and picture day to pick up the gift. The gift bag and card were on the table at home anxiously awaiting the Darth Vader Mask to go inside. Somewhere between the church and the office, I realized the picture order form which I had put in my pocket of my coat so I wouldn’t forget it, certainly was in my coat. It just wasn’t in the coat I was wearing. Beauty. So I ran to the office, picked up Mr. Vader and somewhere between the office and home (to pick up the picture order form), I heard my son playing with the mask to be given to the 5 year son of friends from church. Isaac hit a button and Darth’s deep dark voice echoed in the back seat “Welcome to the Dark Side…Be Careful or I will Destroy You”. Well now, isn’t that just festive and appropriate for a young boy. “ So I guess we’re going to Toys R Us now to get another gift aren’t we”. Yes son we are. After arriving back at the house, getting the order form for pictures, we raced to hockey practice for team pictures. Somewhere along the way I realized, my cheque book was in the other vehicle at the church. Mercy Mercy Mercy. So I dropped the boy off, flew back to the church late of course and arrived just as the sermon was being given. It finished, I did my announcements and I was off again. Arrived back at the arena, paid for the pictures, picked up the boy, handed him his memory verse and back to the church for sunday school we went. Somewhere between the arena and the church, a shrill beep came over the car which led me to realize I had forgotten to fill the car with gas. Stellar. I dropped off the boy and ventured back out again, this time to Toys R Us to replace the children’s demonized mask. As I waited in line with new gift in hand trying to be patient as the sales associates took pain staking long amounts of time to sell each customer extended warranties, I had the urge to ask the cashier if this $6 warranty covered toys being jammed into DVD players or being put up kids noses, all of which has occurred in the Mackay house this year but I silently withheld my question. Just take my $6, don’t ask me any questions and I’ll be on my way. Somewhere between the store and the church, I receive a text from my wife about lunch. “I think we may be pressed for time today.” Yes, perhaps we will J As I arrived at church, we quickly loaded up the kids and we are ready to zip home again, quick change and back to town for the party. On my way home, I needed to drop off hockey tickets to my friend. I had planned ahead and put the tickets in the lapel pocket of my suit coat. What I didn’t plan, was being met that morning with the comments, “you’re not really gonna wear that jacket with those pants are you”. So somewhere between church and home, I reached in my pocket only to realize the tickets were in the other suit. BEAUTY. Imagine if I hadn’t planned at all. Things probably would have gone smoother. So next time you think ill will towards a planning freak, remember there is always more to the storyJ… and yes I’ve asked Robin to be my friend again on facebook

Our family is doing well. Isaac is now 7 and in Grade 2. He is active in Soccer and Hockey and quite a stickler for details. He recently arrived home from school and we asked how his spelling test went. He said, “We didn’t have it, we ran out of time. I reminded Mr. Crothers, we hadn’t had our test yet” yeah, he’s THAT kid who reminds his teacher to give tests. Oh boy. He is very hard worker (when it comes to sports) and is quite comical to watch that while his team mates are off celebrating a most recent goal, Isaac is always the first player to rush back at the face off circle waiting for the face off. (NOTE: Proof that things always come up. Since original writing of this letter, Isaac spent some time in the ER on Dec 1 and has a broken collar bone… just in time for ChristmasJ)

It’s been a big year for Eva who is 5 and in SK. She has learned to poo, bike, swim, poo, play piano, stop sucking her thumb, and poo. Did I mention she started poo-ing this year?! After 2 years of pain staking potty training, we finally had a break through. She recently told Tanya for my upcoming birthday, that she already knew what she was going to get me for my birthday. Tanya asked, what is that, and Eva promptly and proudly replied “I’m gonna poo for daddy” I asked Tanya if she planned on wrapping that or notJ Any parent who has been through this road will understand our delight after 2 years of drama.

Faithy is 2 and is more adventurous and daring than her older siblings. Unfortunately she is not as adventurous when it comes to eating food but perhaps next year at this time I will be able to share another success story. She is quite a ham and outgoing and continues to make us all laugh. Her crib is cluttered with toys, books and everything known to man. Last night, Eva came running to where we were to notify us, “Faith is trying to get things in her bed that she shouldn’t” Usually it’s a stuffed animal or a small picture frame. We asked, what is she trying to get? Eva’s reply… “ummm, you know that big doll house” WHAT?!!! And sure enough, there was Faith trying to lift her big doll house into her itty bitty crib. Oh mercy. That’s our FaithJ

We also added a new member to our ranks this year. In September we began billeting a young hockey player from the Belleville Bulls. Scott is 17 and has fit right in with our family and the kids are quite excited to have “Goose” living with them. I’ve told Tanya, having a teen in the house is just good planning and preparation for us when our 3 hit the teen years.
Aside from our normal busy-ness, life is going well. Tanya is staying home and keeping everything organized and in check. For the most part, she enjoys bringing order to our house and has a great sense of balance when it comes to the busy ness that comes with our house yet appreciating all the moments that we have together as a young family. Not sure where the first 7 years have gone and it will only go faster. For me, things are going well in our new building at Mackay Insurance. I also keep active in radio, ministries at the church and also with Hockey Ministries and the chapel program with the Belleville Bulls.

We have lots of plans for the Christmas season. Spending Christmas day in Newcastle, Boxing day here and a special new year’s outing to see Disney on Ice with the kids among other things… but I’m expecting plans could always change. And in some weird warped kinda way, I’m kinda glad they do. Who remembers the Christmases that go off without a hitch. It’s the one’s where you spend the day in emerg, or up on the icy roof putting the Christmas lights back up for the 3rd time that stand out. Those are the memorable times. Whatever your plans for this Christmas time, I trust that you will embrace the moments and times that you have with family and friends and Emergency Room doctors and nurses and remember to reflect on this,
“But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son” Galatians 4:4

Merry Christmas Everyone
Bruce, Tanya, Isaac, Eva & Faith Mackay